Past Lives 2: Lost Souls
by PirateBlacksmith
Summary: There is a legend in the Caribbean of a ship that has become a prison for stolen souls. When the legend is proved to be all too real, Jack and Will come back to aid their descendants in ending the terror once and for all...Completed.
1. Fallen Friend

_Bill Turner let out an exasperated sigh as he glanced down at the small child. Will refused to go to bed after he had just told him a bed time story as promised. He was beginning to wonder if it wasn't easier to pillage and plunder a heavily guarded merchant ship than to raise a child. Although most pirates weren't fathers, and Jack had told him once that he was a very odd exception. Bill had both a wife and son that he loved dearly, and when they weren't out at sea, he was with them.  
  
"More." Will looked up at him with unslaked curiosity in his eyes. More than once Anna had commented on how Will looked and acted just like his father. That was true even now as Will used Bill's own kicked puppy look against him. Unable to say no, he sat on the edge of the bed and rubbing his hands together.  
  
"Another story, eh?" Will nodded excitedly.  
  
"Tell the one about the cursed ship again." He begged his father, eyes wide. Bill hesitated. He wasn't quite sure that telling Will that story before bed was the greatest of ideas.  
  
"The cursed ship..." He muttered, and then cleared his throat. "Well, there were these pirates, meaner than any of the other pirates that sailed the Caribbean seas." Anna and Bill had agreed that Will would grow up under the assumption that his father was a merchant sailor. She didn't want her son following in Bill's footsteps, no matter how much she loved Bill. "They stole from everyone, even other pirates, and they killed a lot of people. One night, they attacked this town where a witch lived with her twin sons."  
  
"A witch? Aren't they evil?" Will asked, thinking back on what he had learned in church.  
  
"There are shades of gray in this world, William. You'll find this out as you grow older." Bill explained to him. "Not all that you think is evil is evil, and not all that you think is good is good. Sometimes there are things that fall in between good and evil." He felt like he was more or less trying to explain himself to his son.  
  
"Continuing with the story, during the attack, the two boys had snuck out to see real pirates. Unfortunately the pirates found them and killed them. The witch found the bodies of her sons and put a curse on the pirates. She told them they would never find rest, doomed to wander the seas for the rest of eternity for what they'd done. But her curse did worse than anyone could imagine. The pirates began stealing again, but this time they took souls of those that they wanted. The souls were trapped on the ship with the pirates with no way to reach Heaven. And they say that even to this day, the pirates continue to sail the seas, looking for the souls of men, women, and children to add to their collection."  
  
Will stared up at his father, not saying a word as he pulled the covers to his chin. Bill ruffled his hair and got up from the bed. "Now you be good and go to sleep." He told him and blew out the candle. He walked out the door and pulled it shut behind him. Almost home free, he suddenly heard his son's voice.  
  
"Da! It's too dark in here! The cursed pirates will get me!" Bill groaned, slowly turning around and heading back to his son's room.  
_  
--------------  
  
"Mr. Turner?"  
  
"Yes Jessica?"  
  
"What did the people in the East Indies do to the pirates when they caught them?" The fifth grader asked. Danny glanced around the room, realizing he had the entire classes rapt attention. Of course, when he taught the unit on the golden age of piracy, he never had a problem keeping their attention. Then again, the subject was very close to his heart.  
  
It was seven years after the incident with Jonas Smythe. Mike and Nina were still deeply in love, yet still not married. Their relationship had only grown stronger since the event. The ranch was thriving, more people coming for trail rides and Mike couldn't have been happier. Danny found it slightly amusing how Mike seemed to have a few personality quirks very similar to that of Captain Jack Sparrow, although Mike had protested that Danny had a few of Will's quirks as well.  
  
Danny and Hannah were still happily married and Emma was a sweet, vibrant six year old with her father's knack for getting in trouble. Danny had graduated from college with his teaching degree and had been hired at the local elementary school, teaching the fifth grade history classes.  
  
"I was just about to get to that." Danny said, sitting on his desk and looking out over the children. "If a pirate was unlucky enough to get caught by the East Indies, he was branded right here." He tapped the center of his forehead. "Then they were sentenced to death."  
  
Another child raised their hand. "Did pirates ever escape?" He asked.  
  
Danny nodded, a slight smile on his face. "One of the most famous pirates in the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow, escaped from them. See, the legend is that just as they were about to brand him, Jack escaped their clutches. Unfortunately, in the midst of the struggle, his arm hit the branding iron anyway, so he was branded, just not on the forehead. He knocked all three of the guards unconscious and escaped that jail."  
  
The bell rang and there was a collective groan from the children. He couldn't help but be pleased that they all liked his class so much. "Alright guys, that's all for today. Tomorrow we'll talk about famous pirates, like Blackbeard, Long John Silver, and Captain Jack Sparrow." The kids collected their books and scooted from the room. He got up from the desk, going around it and picking up his notes, closing books. Stuffing them in his messenger's bag, he made sure everything was cleaned up and left the room, turning to lock the door behind him.  
  
-------------------  
  
"Daddy!" Emma came flying out of the barn as Danny got out of his jeep. Danny knelt down, taking her into his arms.  
  
"There's my girl." He said, giving her a tight squeeze and then putting his hands on her shoulders. "How was school today?"  
  
"It was good. I drew a picture of grandpa." She giggled.  
  
"That she did. You might be sending this one to art school." Mike said as he came up beside the jeep. Danny picked Emma up in his arms and stood up. Mike tilted back the rim of his Stetson with one finger so he could see them better.  
  
"How was business today?" He asked as they walked towards the house.  
  
"Not as busy as usual." Mike said. "Although today has seemed like an off day all the way around. It feels like there's some strange tension on the air, like something's about to happen. I'm hoping it's not a storm. There was nothing on the weather channel, but you can never tell. Being a meteorologist is the only career where you can be wrong most of the time and still have a job." He drawled.  
  
Danny laughed. "Well, it better not rain. We've got reservations for four at Xango's tonight." He said. "On the outdoor patio overlooking the ocean."  
  
"Romantic."  
  
"Very. And Missy is going to take you to see Finding Nemo downtown. Sound like fun?" He asked Emma. The little girl nodded enthusiastically. Mike opened the screen door and walked inside, Danny following after him. He put the little girl down on the floor and she ran off to the living room. He headed into the kitchen, finding Hannah standing at the sink with Nina, doing the dishes.  
  
"For the lady." He wrapped one arm around her waist from behind, while holding a white rose out before her. She dropped the plate back in the sink and turned to face him, taking the rose.  
  
"Hello to you too." She said, kissing him on the lips. "Ready for tonight?" She asked. He grinned.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"There's only one change. Missy can't baby-sit, and I can't find anyone else. We have to take Emma with us." She said hurriedly. Danny shrugged.  
  
"That's ok." He glanced over beside them, where Mike and Nina were having a kiss that was a little longer than Danny and Hannah's had been. "I don't think they'll mind either."  
  
Mike pulled away. "What? Mind?"  
  
--------------------  
  
Luckily, it didn't rain. The night was warm and dry, a nice breeze blowing in over the sea. The outdoor section of the restraint was crowded, the many conversations mingling with the soft jazz music piping out of the speakers.  
  
"So the kids are really interested. I can't figure out what makes it more interesting than the other units, but it seems to be the favorite." Danny said as he helped Emma squirt ketchup on her French fries.  
  
"It's obvious, isn't it? All those stories of the famous Jack Sparrow." Mike said with a smirk.  
  
Danny grinned. "I still can't believe you remember all those. Then again, I think all of us remember pretty much everything."  
  
Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Not all of us." She said.  
  
"But I love you anyway." He leaned over and gave her a kiss, dribbling ketchup on the table as the nozzle moved away from Emma's plate.  
  
"Daddy!" Emma said, then wrinkled her nose. "Ewwww." Mike and Nina started laughing, having gotten more 'ewws' from the young girl than Danny and Hannah ever had. Mike picked up his fork, spearing a piece of stake and waving it in front of Nina's mouth. She took it slowly, her eyes on his the whole time, and then leaned forward and kissed him.  
  
"I love you." Mike whispered, staring into her eyes. Suddenly something caught his attention off to the side and he looked past her out to the ocean. Nina turned to look as well.  
  
Out on the horizon, they could see a dark shadow, moving quietly in towards land. Nina sucked in a breath and turned to Mike. "That can't be what I think it is...can it?" She said. Mike slowly got to his feet, walking towards the railing of the patio and looking out. The ship moved slowly towards the land, gliding like a ghost. Around him, the conversation died out as people began noticing the ship as well.  
  
"That's a ship." Mike told Nina as she came to stand beside him. "As in pirate. As in shouldn't even be in this time period." People began pointing, whispering in amazement.  
  
There was a loud boom from out on the ocean and then people screaming. Mike pulled Nina to the ground as the window looking out on the patio shattered as the cannon ball collided with it. Danny lunged to cover Emma, pulling Hannah close to him as well. The little girl started crying against her father's chest, clinging tightly to him. Panic had broken out on the patio.  
  
"We can't get inside! The debris is blocking the door!" Someone shouted. Danny looked up, then back at Hannah. "Get Emma somewhere as safe as possible on the patio, alright?" She nodded, her face sheet white, and grabbed Emma out of her seat. Danny ran around the side of the table, heading over to where Mike was standing up, pulling Nina up with him. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He shouted over the panic as he approached.  
  
Mike shook his head. "It's not Smythe. The man is dead and gone. There has to be..." An arm appeared over the patio rail and grabbed onto the back of his suit jacket. Mike shouted in surprise and spun, coming face to face with a leering pirate. He pulled his fist back and slammed it into the pirate's face. The pirate gave a howl as he fell backwards, landing in the water thirty feet bellow. "This can't be good." He said, as pirates climbed over the rails, chasing people around.  
  
"Then we'll just have to do what we can." Danny told him, reaching down and grabbing the stand from a wine bucket someone had knocked over. "You with me?" Mike nodded, following after him. The pirate about to swing his cutlass down on an old couple found himself soon flying over the rail compliments of Danny. Mike snatched up the dropped cutlass.  
  
"Start around the outside, near the rail and push all the surviving people in towards the door. We can protect them better that way." Mike shouted before disappearing into the crowd. He ran towards the pirate pulling on a screaming young woman. The blade went into the pirate's stomach, coming clean out the other side. It didn't even phase the pirate. He turned to face Mike and harshly backhanded him, sending him flying into a table. Mike grunted, falling onto the ground as the pirate approached him, laughing. Quickly, he got to his feet and slammed into the pirate's stomach, slamming him into the rail. The pirate lost his balance and went flying over the side. Mike turned back to the patio. "You can't kill them! Throw them over!" He shouted, but people had already begun copying him, gathering together in groups to knock people over.  
  
For others it seems to be too later. A few people lay on the floor, unmoving. Mike swallowed, staring at the body of a small child nearby, feeling horrified.  
  
"Danny!" Hannah's scream reached his ears and Danny turned, seeing his wife and daughter cornered by the railing. He pushed his way through the crowd, sprinting for them. The pirate raised his cutlass, about to bring it down when Danny wrapped a hand around his wrist. The pirate spun, snarling.  
  
All of a sudden, he felt as if he had lost control of his body. The pirate's eyes stared deeply into his, almost as if searching his soul. He felt a shudder race up his spine and his eyes went wider as voices stared screaming in his mind, full of pain and anguish. Haunted voices. Staring into the pirate's eyes, he felt as if he was being dragged down to hell, could almost feel the searing fires and hear the demonic laughter.  
  
And then everything went quiet and dark.  
  
----------------  
  
"Mike! Mike!" Hannah's fearful screaming caught Mike's attention and he pushed his way past the fighting crowds. The pirates were thinning out, but not without losses to the townspeople as well. He shoved another pirate over as he was struggling with a man and stopped cold.  
  
The pirate and Danny stood face to face, Danny held up off the ground by the pirate grasping his neck. They were staring at each other, almost as if a trance. Mike ran towards his adopted son when suddenly Danny went limp in the pirate's grip, like he'd lost consciousness. Mike screamed his name, and the pirate turned, letting go of Danny. He didn't have time to recover, as Mike slammed into him and sent him flying over the railing into the water below.  
  
Hannah crawled over to her husband's side, shaking his shoulder. Emma did the same. Mike knelt down, taking his pulse. It was still beating strong, but Danny wasn't waking up. He opened both of Danny's eyes. They were cold and empty.  
  
Almost as if there was nothing inside. 


	2. Past Revisited

Hannah lay against the railing, Danny's head resting in her lap. She slowly ran her fingers through her husband's curly hair, staring off into space. He still hadn't moved and the only movement was his chest softly raising and falling. Mike sat beside her with Nina holding onto his arm and Emma sitting in his lap, clinging tightly to him. Around them, people were wandering around and tending to those that had been wounded. Some, like Mike and his family, were tending to family members who seemed to be unhurt, yet wouldn't wake up. On the other side of the blocked doorway, the local fire department was working to clear away the debris so that those trapped on the patio could get out.  
  
"What was that?" Hannah said finally, looking over at Mike. "Those men looked like pirates from the colonial recreation. Then they couldn't be hurt by anyone or anything and now Danny won't wake up..." She trailed off, fighting tears. Mike reached over with his free arm and put it around Hannah's shoulders. She rested her head against his shoulder, biting her lip and closing her eyes as the tears flowed freely. He wasn't quite sure what to tell her. He'd seen what had happened when he'd run that pirate through. Absolutely nothing. Something supernatural was in play and out of his league. Sure, when Jonas Smythe had kidnapped Nina and Hannah, his and Danny's ancestors, Jack Sparrow and Will Turner, had come to help them out. But the pirate and the blacksmith were at peace and it was just him.  
  
"I don't know." He said finally. "But we'll find out. Danny will wake up." He said in a reassuring tone. Emma uttered a soft sigh as she slept against her grandfather's chest, wiggling around and grasping the front of his dress shirt tighter in her hand. "Once the door is unblocked, the paramedics will come in and take him to the hospital and we'll find out what's wrong." His eyes fell on one woman who held her still child in her arms, sobbing. His heart broke for her. Nina let go of his arm, getting to her feet. He looked up at her. "Where are you going?"  
  
"We aren't going anywhere. She looks like she could use some comfort." Nina told him softly and kissed him on the cheek. "I won't go far. I just want to help." She turned away from him and walked over to the woman, kneeling down beside her and laid a hand on her back. The woman looked up at her and Mike couldn't hear what was being said but the woman's sobs slowly calmed down. He smiled slightly. That was his Nina. He glanced back at Hannah, rubbing her back.  
  
"Why don't you close your eyes and try to get some sleep? Nothing else is happening at the moment and you've done all that you can for Danny." He told her. "I'll stay awake and keep an eye out." Hannah looked as if she would protest at first, but then she seemed to change her mind and closed her eyes. Mike looked over her head out at the ocean, where the mysterious ship had long since disappeared.  
  
-------------  
  
"Sir? Sir, wake up!" The voice broke through the black oblivion where Danny had been for some unknown amount of time. Slowly he allowed himself to come back. The last thing he remembered was grabbing that pirate's wrist as he stood over Hannah and Emma, and then...what? He groaned, bringing a hand up to his face. He opened his eyes, waiting for his vision to refocus.  
  
Above him, sails snapped in the breeze as the moon bathed the deck in light. He reached out and felt around him. He was lying on wet decks. What the hell is this? Where am I? Wait, I get it. This is one of Ben and Vic's practical jokes, isn't it? Please tell me that's what it is. But he didn't believe it for a second.  
  
A woman dressed in 17th century clothing kneeled over him, a look of worry on her face. "Oh, thank God you're awake. We weren't quite sure what happens when the spirit of a soul doesn't wake up."  
  
"Spirit of a soul?" He sat up, staring at her. "What do you mean?" She looked shock at the hard tone his voice had taken on.  
  
"You're on the ship of the damned, sir. They were cursed to roam the seas forever but they didn't want to do it alone. So they steal souls from their homes and bring them to this ship to be their prisoners. Forever." She explained quickly, shying away from him as though he might hit her for speaking.  
  
Danny shook his head. "No, it can't b..." He got to his feet, looking around. All around him, pirates worked at their jobs, paying no attention to the two spirits on deck. His hands went to his neck and he felt a small string around his neck. Suddenly his hands were grabbed by the woman. He noticed there was one around her neck as well.  
  
"Don't." She told him. "You can't take it off and if you try, they'll hurt you." She whispered. "It's what keeps us bound here. We're all bound to the captain by this."  
  
"I can't be bound anywhere. I need to get back. My wife and my little girl are still back there!" He shouted. The woman grabbed his arm and pulled him away as two of the pirates turned to look at them. She pushed open a door, and he found himself looking at others who had been separated from their bodies, wandering around the room.  
  
"Many of them had families too. But they never got to go back to them. After two weeks of being hollow, the body gives up and dies." She explained. He shook his head and rubbed his forehead.  
  
"This can't be possible. I'm dreaming. I ate bad food and I'm having a horrible, horrible nightmare." He said to himself, trying to convince himself of that. She looked on in pity. In the room, souls from different time periods roamed around, talking to others, children playing games on the floor, some sleeping as if they really needed it.  
  
Suddenly Danny felt faint. He felt real enough, looked real enough, yet he felt so disconnected from life. The memories of looking into the pirate's eyes came back to him and he remembered the cold eyes that had suddenly become the windows to hell and he remembered crying out for help, but no one came.  
  
He was damned, just like the rest of them. The realization hit him hard and he had to lean against the wall, taking deep breaths. Did he even need to take those as well? It was just an illusion, wasn't it? The memories of what had happened on the patio faded and the faces of his family floated into his mind. Mike and Nina, who had raised him since he was three, his beautiful wife Hannah and the daughter he loved so dearly, Emma. He didn't want to leave them, not now.  
  
"You're someone I hoped I'd never see here." Danny froze, snapping out of his thoughts. He knew that voice from his childhood. He turned around and anything he could've said disappeared from his thoughts. Mike had shown him pictures when he was younger and the man in front of him hadn't changed one bit, as if preserved by time.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
--------------------  
  
Mike yawned and shifted slightly so he could look at his watch. It was early in the morning and they were still clearing out the doorway. Nina sat beside him, slowly running her hand up and down his arm as she stared at the floor, off in her own world. Hannah still had her head on Mike's other shoulder, sleeping. Emma was still asleep as well, her grip still firm on Mike's shirt. Then it came to his attention that he had to use the bathroom, badly. He shifted, not wanting to wake Emma or Hannah up. Nina raised her head.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked softly. Mike glanced over at her.  
  
"I need to relieve myself." He said quietly, raising an eyebrow. She mouthed 'oh' and reached over carefully, opening up Emma's fingers and carefully pulling her over to her lap. Emma gave a little moan, but didn't wake up. Mike turned to Hannah and carefully propped her up against the rail. He got to his feet and hurried over to the railing farthest from all the people. "Thank you..." He said, unzipping his fly and standing at the rail.  
  
Hannah stirred, realizing that Mike was gone. Nina glanced over at her. "Mike had to go take a break." She said quietly, looking at the younger woman in concern. "How are you holding up?" Hannah looked down at Danny, stroking his hair.  
  
"I don't know." She said after taking a deep breath. "I just want to know what's going on. What happened to him, who were those men?" She fell silent, tears coming to her eyes again. Mike returned, pulling the tail of his shirt out of the back his pants. He sat down facing Hannah and Nina. Nina gave him a small smile as she rubbed Emma's back. "Feeling better?" She asked.  
  
"Much." Mike replied, just as people across the patio started shouting. The door had opened up and firemen and paramedics alike where coming out onto the patio. Mike waved a hand. "We have injured over here!" He shouted, catching the attention of one man. The paramedic headed over and Mike pointed to Danny. "He fell during the fight and didn't get back up."  
  
The paramedic knelt, grabbing Danny's wrist and taking his pulse. "His pulse is fine." He pulled a small flashlight out of his bag and opened one of Danny's eyes, moving the light slowly back and forth. "Pupils are dilated though. I'll get someone over here with a stretcher." He said as he got to his feet.  
  
"Thanks." Mike called to him as he left and then turned to face his family. "See? We're getting him help already."  
  
------------------  
  
Mike paced the hallway of the hospital, running his hands through his hair. He'd gotten almost two hours of sleep back at the house before bringing Hannah back to see Danny. Nina had volunteered to stay with Emma, who was still sleeping. The doctor that had tended to Danny had told him that nothing new had been found. The blood work was still in the lab, but he was sure that whatever had happened had been a psychological response. Mike didn't believe him. He had seen what had happened, and he knew his son better than anyone. Something was wrong with him.  
  
Hannah came out of the room, wiping at her eyes. "He's still comatose." She told Mike. "Nothing I say or do will wake him up. I even tried..." She made a rubbing motion that Mike quickly got and decided to repress that he ever saw. "Nothing at all." She sounded defeated. "But I don't want to leave him in case he wakes up."  
  
"Let's go to the cafeteria, get something to eat." Mike suggested, pointing over his shoulder. "It's not far, and we'll be back in no time, I promise." She looked back at her husband's door.  
  
"Alright. I could use some coffee anyway." She said as she fell into step beside him. He rubbed his arms, cursing himself for wearing a T-shirt. The hospital was always cold and he was getting goose bumps. Hannah yawned, covering her mouth with one hand.  
  
Soon they found themselves in the cafeteria. Hannah had gotten a salad that had seen better days and Mike was still pondering how a hospital that preached healthy hearts could serve up such a greasy hamburger. Not quite hungry, he put it back down on his plate and picked through his French fries. Hannah ate a few bites of salad and pushed it aside. "Next time, I'll spring for real food." Mike told her as they got up from the table and walked over to the garbage can, dumping their meals in.  
  
"You're on." Hannah said with the first smile he had seen since the incident. He smiled in return and pushed the door open for her. She walked out ahead of him and began wandering down the hall.  
  
"He'll wake up. They'll find out what's wrong with him and you'll have your husband back soon. Good as new." Mike assured her. She didn't look up at him, instead staring at the floor as they walked.  
  
"I hope so. I can't lose him." He said quietly. Mike knew the feeling. He'd be lost if anything happened to Nina. Hell, he was lost now with his son lying in a hospital bed in some supernatural coma.  
  
"We have to hope for the best." Mike responded. They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they got back to the room, Mike told Hannah to get some sleep in the waiting room and he'd stay with Danny for a while. She finally caved in after he had begged her and went to the family waiting room. Mike made sure she did as she promised before grasping the doorknob, turning it and opening the door. He stopped cold.  
  
"Danny! You're awake!" Danny swung around, knocking over the IV. He lunged and grabbed it before it hit the ground and set it upright. Mike frowned. "Pretty lively for a comatose man."  
  
"Ay...yes I am." Danny said quickly, avoiding his eyes as he tried to work the IV needle loose from all the tape. Mike raised an eyebrow, walking over and knocking the hand picking at the tape away.  
  
"That's supposed to stay on, Danny, until the nurses decide to take it out." He looked his adopted son in the eyes and was suddenly taken back by the look in them. It was the look of someone out of place and very nervous about it. It then struck him that Danny had not come out of the odd coma he was in. In fact, he probably wasn't even present. He raised an eyebrow, trying to prevent himself from showing the worry he felt.  
  
"So, William, to what do we owe this pleasure of your visit?" Mike asked him, trying to sound calm and collected.  
  
Will didn't seem as calm. "Trouble."  
  
Mike blinked. "Oh." 


	3. Back in Action

"Dad?" Danny shook his head, rubbing his temples. It couldn't be. The man he had called father had died mysteriously when he was three, leaving him alone until Mike and Nina had adopted him. He hadn't changed at all since the day they'd found him, still wearing his coast guard's uniform. There was still that slight tinge of metallic gray in the hair at his temples and the beard that Danny remembered so well. He had never quite realized how much he looked like his father.  
  
"It's me." He opened up his arms as Danny lunged for him like a little boy greeting his father home. At the moment, lost and confused, Danny felt like a little boy and nothing would help more than his father's embrace. Ben Turner took his son into his arms, holding him tightly in a bear hug the way he had done when Danny was little, despite the fact that Danny was only a little shorter than him now. The woman who had led Danny into the cabin stood back, letting them have their father son time. "Dad, what happened to you? At the hospital, they said nothing was wrong with you, but you never woke up." He pulled back from his father. "I waited two weeks, coming to the hospital with the Mrs. Henderson every day, hoping you would wake up." It felt painful to say, even after all the years that had past, but he needed to know. Ben wouldn't look at his son, instead taking his arm and leading him over to a part of the cabin that wasn't completely crowded and sitting down on the floor. Danny followed his example.  
  
"How old are you now?" Ben asked him, finally looking at his son.  
  
"Twenty seven." Danny answered, shifting to get comfortable on the hard wooden floor.  
  
"Twenty seven..." Ben shook his head. "I've been here twenty four years now. Hard to keep track when you're a spirit and trapped, I guess."  
  
"Wait, what?" Danny held up a hand. "Start at the beginning."  
  
"About twenty four years ago, as I said, me and a few of the other guys were on patrol around the island when we came across something strange. So Nix drives over to check it out and it turns out to be a lot larger than any of us could've seen in the dark. It was this massive ship that looked like it had no right to belong in our time period." Ben explained, when Danny interrupted him.  
  
"That ship was at Xango's tonight!" He said. "That's where I..." He didn't want to finish that sentence and fell silent again, waving a hand for his father to continue.  
  
"We decided to go in and check, because a big thing like that wandering around these shores? There were some things we needed to know. But just as we're getting in close, everyone hears this gigantic boom and the boat we're all on shudders and tips to the side. We were hit with a cannon ball or something. The only thing we could do at that point was bail, because they kept firing at us. So we jumped and swam to shore."  
  
"That's what the chief of police told me when they tried to explain what happened." Danny said. "That you'd hit your head in a boating accident."  
  
Ben shook his head. "My head was just fine when I reached shore and so was the rest of me. But the guys and I weren't prepared for the welcoming party. Those pirates outside were waiting for us and there was fighting. The last thing I remember was looking into the eyes of one of the pirates and hearing screaming and feeling the flames lick my skin, almost as if I were being dragged into hell, and then nothing. I woke up here." He waved to the room. "I've been here ever since with two of the other guys from the Coast Guard."  
  
Danny rubbed his temples. "You were in the hospital, Dad. I saw you. I watched you die!" He said, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Just as your body is doing now." Ben told him. "The body can live two weeks without the soul, but then it just dies. The soul is the battery, in a way of speaking, for the body."  
  
"That's why you died." Danny said quietly. "You weren't there." Ben slowly nodded.  
  
"Yeah." He said quietly, looking to his son with pained eyes. "I'm sorry I was never there for you, Danny. I wanted to be."  
  
Danny ran his hands through his hair, looking up at his father. "I need to get out of here. I have a family back there who I love so much and I can't leave them now." He said, the thought painful. He couldn't help but look around at the spirits wandering the room. It was a collection of souls from different time periods and different walks of life. All of them united by the fact that they were lost and were prevented from returning home to the ones they loved, if they had loved ones. For many of them, their bodies had died long ago and yet they were still here. The room they were kept in was sparse, no furniture or decorations to speak of. There was really nothing at all. For a second his gaze caught on a boy sitting in the corner who had to be Emma's age, yet looked like he belonged in the 1700's. He stared blankly ahead, knees hugged to his chest and his chin resting on his knees.  
  
"I have a wife and a daughter now." He said hoarsely as he gazed at the little boy. "Hannah is a wonderful woman inside and out. She's smart, beautiful, and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet." He swallowed past the painful lump that rose in his throat. "Emma is seven now and she's a little firecracker. I think she's been hanging around Mike too much." He smiled sadly at his father, who smiled back.  
  
"So I'm a grandfather then?" He asked and Danny nodded. "I missed a lot then." He raised an eyebrow. "Mike's still around?"  
  
"Mike adopted me, Dad. Nina and him were my parents after I lost you." He hated to say it, but it was true. After Ben had died, he'd needed someone to look after him, being only a child. "But I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too." Ben said, taking his son into his arms in a hug as he had done before going out to sea. "Always."  
  
------------------  
  
"There's always trouble, isn't there?" Mike said, staring directly at the bathroom door where Will was changing into his clothes. He had been under the assumption that once the business with Smythe had been taken care of, Jack and Will had finally been at peace. Yet here was one half of the trouble-making duo, telling him that there was trouble. Not as if Mike hadn't already guessed that, with the pirate ship making it's appearance the night before.  
  
The door opened and Will came out, throwing the gown onto the bed and picking up one of his shoes. "Not always. This is only the second time." He argued as he knelt down to tie his sneaker. Mike was about to respond when Hannah came in to the room like a woman on a mission.  
  
"I filled out the sheets for 'Danny' to be released against doctor's orders." She said, brushing a blond lock of hair behind her ear and stuffing the papers into her purse. As she talked, she looked straight at Mike instead of the man who was supposed to be her husband, but wasn't. Will felt uncomfortable with the treatment, but continued putting on his shoes quietly. Mike got up from the bed.  
  
"Good. Now we can get out of here and find out just what the hell is going on." He muttered. Will finished tying his shoes and joined them as they headed out into the hallway. "Now you've got a story to tell us, don't you Will?" Mike turned to look at him as they walked. "So start telling."  
  
-----------  
  
At the moment, all Mike wanted was the quiet. He didn't want to talk or listen to anyone, just wanted to reflect on his own thoughts. Will had told them quite the story and if that story was true, then things were a lot worse than he had ever imagined them to be. After everything had been said that needed to be said, he'd gone out to the barn to be alone with his own thoughts.  
  
The only sounds at the moment were the movements of the horses in their stalls and the shovel against the floor as he mucked out one of the stalls. He shoveled up another load and turned, dumping it in the wheelbarrow. _How the hell am I supposed to do this? A cursed pirate crew is holding my son hostage, they can't be killed, and they're capable of taking your soul, leaving the body behind to die. I'm one person, one ordinary person.  
  
Now would be a good time for some help._ He leaned the shovel up against the wall and wiped at his forehead, taking a deep breath. Help would be a great thing right now, but where was he going to get it? Search out the nearest witch doctor? The thought would've made him laugh if his mood hadn't been so dark.  
  
Going up against Smythe had introduced him to the fact that there was a supernatural force in the world and a strong one at that. Men who could survive centuries by magic alone, as well as keeping others alive. Those that took souls into their grasp and kept them safe until the time was right for them to come into the world again. The dead ancestors that came back to help the living.  
  
For a brief moment, he thought of Cecilia. He hadn't known her for very long, but she'd made a big impression on him, a good impression at that. Right now they could've used someone with her expertise and talents with the magical arts.  
  
Shaking his head, Mike broke his train of thought. Those thoughts weren't helping him anyway. They were only taking him off track and making him more frustrated. He grabbed the shovel again and took up another load of the dirty hay on the floor and turned to dump it into the wheelbarrow.  
  
Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and he stopped, shovel still poised to dump its load. A cold shiver went up his spine despite the overly humid weather they were having that night. After he'd dumped the dirty hay, he set the shovel back down again and walked slowly down the isle of the barn, glancing around. Someone was in the barn. He could feel it. There was just some sense tingling that told him he was not alone.  
  
"Look, I'm not in the mood to put up with this hide and go seek B.S., so whoever you are, get the hell out of here before I do something worse to you." He muttered angrily. There was no response or movement. The soft light didn't provide him enough light to see into the corners of the barn, so he retrieved the shovel and headed down to see who could possibly be hiding in the dark shadows.  
  
The cold tingle raced down his spine again and he spun, expecting to see someone behind him, but still there was no one. "Hello?" He called, gripping the shovel tighter. "This isn't a joke. I find you and there will be a world of pain for you." He threatened. "I am not in the goddamn mood for this." Again he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned quickly, hoping to catch the perpetrator this time.  
  
He cursed angrily when he found no one, yet he still felt like someone else was there with him. "Look, I'm sick of this joke. Quit being an asshole and just leave!" He shouted angrily, although he had no intentions of letting the person just leave. He was frustrated and that needed to be worked out. "Look, I'll stand here in the center of the isle, close my eyes, and count to ten. If you haven't gotten your ass out by then, I'll kick it out and not too nicely." He looked around once more before he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "One, two, three..."  
  
While he counted, the cause of his annoyance appeared right in front of him, looking amused. Jack Sparrow was nothing more than a ghost at the moment, but that didn't mean he couldn't cause mischief before getting down to business. He was, after all, a pirate and a natural born troublemaker. There hadn't been any trouble in his lifetime that he hadn't been able to talk his way out of, except for his death at Smythe's hands. That had been unavoidable.  
  
"...eight, nine, ten! Ready or not, I'm coming in swinging!" Mike shouted, opening his eyes and ready to attack. Unfortunately, the first thing he did was scream bloody murder as he caught sight of the ghost standing in front of him. Without thinking he swung the shovel at Jack. The shovel went straight through him and crashed into the wall, spooking the horse inside the stall. Most of them were spooked after his screaming and paced nervously in their stalls. He pointed at Jack, eyes wide. "You...you...ghost..." He stuttered.  
  
Jack smirked. "Aye, Michael. I'm a ghost. At least you got that much bloody right." He walked around Mike, looking around at the barn. Mike took a few moments to pull himself together, taking deep breaths.  
  
"You. What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, taking in the pirate. The captain looked almost exactly like him, except for the beaded dreads, and the bearded braid, and the whole pirate look in general. Jack turned to face him, sauntering back.  
  
"Heard you needed a bit of help, mate. Well, I'm here to help." He grinned as he approached Mike. "I've been up against cursed pirates before. I think I can handle these dogs." He tapped his chin. "Although, they didn't take souls either..." He shook his head. "A curse is still a curse. Just need to find a way to break it, savvy?"  
  
Mike shivered, running his hands through his hair. "All the stress finally got to me. I think I'm standing here talking to a dead pirate captain." He muttered. "I've finally lost it."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes skyward. "Not like a Sparrow has much in the way of sanity in the first place." He said. Mike looked up at him.  
  
"How are you going to break this curse if you're just a ghost?" He asked quickly, not wanting to know the answer but he needed to find out.  
  
Jack looked him directly in the eyes. "That's where you come in, mate." He said before disappearing. Mike spun around, looking for him.  
  
"Jack? What do you mean, that's where I come in?" He called into the barn. The horses grew even more restless, banging up against the walls of their stalls and making noises, or pacing nervously. "Jack? Hello?" He stood completely still in the middle of the isle, still looking for the ghost of the pirate captain.  
  
A strange tingling sensation started on his wrist and he glanced down, still clutching the shovel tightly. In the dim light he could see black lines wiggling like miniature snakes on his skin, moving into some kind of pattern. As he watched, the all too familiar tattoo formed on his wrist and a moment later, the cursed brand appeared below it, burning brightly for a moment before fading into the scarred skin that made up the brand.  
  
Jack dropped the shovel on the ground, stepping over it as he walked towards the doors of the barn. He had a mission now, to find William and then the pirates who had taken Danny.  
  
A smirk appeared once again on his lips. "Captain Jack Sparrow is back." 


	4. Plotting and Sharing

Nina came down the stairs with an armful of blankets and an extra pillow. Hannah and Will had come to the agreement that sharing the same bed would feel extremely awkward. Will had agreed to take the couch as well, leaving Hannah the bed. Nina felt slightly uneasy about the whole thing and she was sure no matter how much she tried to hide it, it showed when she approached him. How was she supposed to act around the spirit of her adopted son's ancestor, knowing that he was possessing Danny's body and that Danny's soul had been stolen by some bed time story? She'd listened as he'd told them about the cursed pirates, the kidnappers of souls, and it wasn't that she didn't believe him, but it was a hard story to believe.  
  
Coming into the living room, she handed the blankets and pillows to Will. "I think I overdid it with the blankets." She said with a small smile, trying to ease the uncomfortable tension between them. "If you need anything, the fridge is always available and Mike and I are just a flight of stairs away. Just make sure you knock first." She said quickly, a slight tinge appearing on her face. Will acted as if he hadn't heard the implications behind her sentence and gave her a small smile back.  
  
"Thank you. This is greatly appreciated." He told her, just as the screen door in the hallway slammed shut. Nina quickly excused herself and went into the hallway, throwing her arms around Mike's neck and giving him a kiss on the lips. Then she paused, opening her eyes to look at him. Something felt off about him. She pulled her arms from around his neck and took a step back, scrutinizing him. A smirk appeared slowly on his lips and he took a step towards her, but she put a hand on his chest, holding him back.  
  
"Not you too." She said, glaring at him. "So, you must be the infamous Jack Sparrow." Nina took her hand off his chest and crossed her arms. "Did Mike agree to this or did you steal control again?"  
  
"He agreed. In a way." Jack conceded. "Well, he wanted to do something to help his son, so I took him up on the offer." He shrugged. Nina shook her head. She felt so strange around Will, yet she felt like she was on familiar territory when she was around Jack. Of course she knew Anamaria, Jack's lover, was in her bloodlines so it didn't surprise her really.  
  
"I need to just go to bed." She said finally, a tone of weariness in her voice. It had been an extremely long day for all of them. Turning on her heel, she started for the stairs. Jack followed after her as if it were his normal routine. She turned again, placing a hand on his chest and giving him a slight push back. "No, you get the chair." She smiled sweetly. "You may have Mike's body but you don't get his perks." Giving him a slight pat on the chest, she continued to make her way up the stairs, leaving Jack at the bottom with a disgruntled expression on his face.  
  
Jack whirled around and stalked into the living room. Will had already settled in for the night on the couch, but when he heard Jack enter, his eyes opened. "Mike?" He asked, and was rewarded with a dark look as Jack sat down in the armchair. Will raised an eyebrow. "Jack?"  
  
"Aye." The pirate responded as he tried to find a comfortable enough position on the chair. He'd slept a great many places before, but this object was clearly designed to torture rather than give comfort. He grabbed one of the knobs to adjust the chair and was rewarded by the lumbar support stabbing him in the back. Jack grunted in frustration and twisted it again, getting rid of the painful device. He grabbed the next lever and yanked. His reward was nearly being thrown backwards as the back of the chair dropped down and all the while Will was barely able to keep from breaking out in laughter.  
  
Jack climbed out of the chair and set the back upright again, glaring at the thing as if it had some horrendous plan to seriously maim him. He hated these modern times where everything was so much more complicated than they needed to be. "Don't laugh at me." He demanded, leveling a finger at Will. The blacksmith simply shrugged beneath the blankets and closed his eyes, a bemused expression on his face. Jack silently snarled and sat down in the chair again, this time sideways with his legs thrown over the arm rest and his back up against the other. He leaned against the back of the chair and closed his eyes, hoping the night would pass quickly.  
  
------------  
  
"Daddy."  
  
The tiny voice roused Will from his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes to see Emma standing in front of him. Her hair and nightgown were tousled from sleep and she clutched at an old stuffed dog. She stared at him with such honesty and trust that it made him feel incredibly guilty, although he had done nothing wrong. She wanted her father and she thought it was him. But he wasn't her father.  
  
"I can't sleep in my room. There's a monster under my bed." She whispered to him in the dark. Jack shifted in the chair, grumbling in his sleep, and she jumped, holding the dog tighter. For a moment Will didn't respond, just looking at her.  
  
He'd died on the beach of this godforsaken island long before it had ever been settled and had never had a real marriage or children. The mission to prove himself worthy to Governor Swann had claimed his life and Jack's mission had claimed his. Neither one had gotten married or had children, though Will believed that was a good thing in Jack's case. He couldn't quite see the pirate captain with a child. But here was this perfect little girl, just like the daughter he had wanted to have with Elizabeth and it tore him up inside.  
  
Smiling kindly, he decided to play along and pretend that he was Danny for her sake. "A monster, eh? Shall I go tell him to remove himself from your room?" He laughed. She shook her head.  
  
"I don't want to go back in there. I want to stay with you." She climbed up on the couch and wiggled herself under his arm. There was barely enough room for the two of them but they managed a close fit. Emma laid her head on the pillow and shifted again, trying to get comfortable. Will pressed against the back of the couch to give her as much room as possible. Finally she lay still, curling up against him. "Night daddy." Again the words tore at his heart and he had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could respond.  
  
"Night Emma." He responded and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come to him again.  
  
------------  
  
Jack had given up. He had given up on finding sleep, on finding a comfortable spot, and on the damnable chair completely. Quietly he got out of the chair and headed towards the couch. He was the captain and by rights deserved the best bed in the living room by rights, so he intended to kick the younger man out of bed and take the couch for himself. When he got to the couch his mind changed as he looked down at the scene in front of him.  
  
Emma was sleeping peacefully, her head resting on Will's chest. Will had one arm around her in a fatherly embrace and was sleeping with a content expression on his face. Jack's expression grew considerably darker as he realized he was the only one not getting a good night's sleep and he couldn't kick Will off the couch, not when he had the child with him.  
  
His gaze traveled down to the other end of the couch which seemed empty for the most part, as long as he could find a way around Will's feet. Quietly he lifted one foot up and stepped on the couch, over Will's feet, Picking up the blankets, he slowly sat down on the couch and slid under them. If this was what he had to do to get a good night's sleep, he would do it. Curling up, Jack made himself comfortable finally against the back of the couch and closed his eyes, yawning.  
  
A few minutes later he was fast asleep.  
  
-----------  
  
He awoke to an explosion of bright colors and the oddest looking things he had ever seen. They were prancing around the screen, cooing nonsensical sounds and giggling. His eye twitched involuntarily at the eyesore. He closed his eyes and yanked the blanket over his head, trying to drown out the sound. The blanket was yanked back again and Jack sat up quickly to glare at the person who was playing tug-of-war with him.  
  
Will pulled the blanket tighter around him and glanced over at Jack. "What do you make of this?" He asked with a serious expression on his face.  
  
"You're not sharing the blankets." Jack responded and gave it a quick yank, pulling it from Will's shoulders. The blacksmith shook his head and nodded to the TV.  
  
"No, Jack, I mean that thing." He nodded towards the TV. Jack glanced towards it again.  
  
"I don't bloody well know, but I don't like it." He muttered, pulling the blankets around his shoulders tightly. He still felt drained from the night before and the lack of sleep had done nothing to counteract that.  
  
Emma turned to look at him. "It's the Teletubbies, Grandpa. You said you liked them." She gave him a hurt look, her eyes wide and innocent. Jack raised an eyebrow, glancing from her to the TV and back again.  
  
"Did I?" He asked. Will stared at the coffee table in front of them, trying the unfamiliar word out. Emma looked from the man who was supposed to be her father to the man who was supposed to be her grandfather, giving them both suspicious looks.  
  
"Uh huh." She said as Hannah came into the room. She looked over at her mother and smiled. "Daddy and Grandpa are acting weird. But Grandpa's acting even weirder than usual." Hannah said nothing, simply nodding her head.  
  
"Grandma made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Are you hungry?" Hannah asked Emma. The little girl got to her feet and ran for the kitchen. Hannah turned to follow her, giving neither Jack nor Will a second glance.  
  
"That was...friendly." Jack muttered. Will shook his head.  
  
"No, it's just very strange to her." Will said, looking down at the ground. "And very confusing. I don't blame her in the least."  
  
"Wait." Jack said, getting up and going over to the TV. Will frowned, wondering what he was doing. He got up and joined the pirate at the TV.  
  
"...and in other news, a beach party ended in tragedy last night when a strange ship attacked. Witnesses described the perpetrators as pirates of old. Five people were badly injured in the attack..." Will glanced over at Jack, eyes widening.  
  
"That's it." He said, attracting Hannah and Nina's attention. Nina came into the living room first.  
  
"What's what?" She asked, glancing at the two of them. Jack pointed at the TV. She stopped and listened, her eyes growing wider. Hannah put her hands to her mouth.  
  
"That's the same thing that...that happened to Danny." She said quietly.  
  
"Just what we needed." Jack said with a thoughtful tone. He started pacing the floor. "Do you have a map?" He asked. Nina pulled one out of the stack of papers on the desk and spread it out on the coffee table.  
  
"Why?" Jack sat down on the couch, staring at the map. It was slightly confusing at first, different notations and scaling then he remembered.  
  
"Here." He tapped the map. "This is us." He tapped another island on the map, one very close to the first island. "This was the island just mentioned." He tapped three more islands that were in close proximity to the first two and created a semi circle. "My guess is they'll be hittin' these next three and then disappearin' for a while." Jack rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing slightly. "Bastards know what they're doin'." He muttered.  
  
"So we go to the third island in the chain then?" Will asked, looking over Jack's shoulder.  
  
Jack stood up, just barely missing catching Will in the chin with his shoulder. "We have to get going." He said, stepping around the table. Will followed after him, getting a slight idea at what Jack was thinking. Nina looked over at Hannah and scowled.  
  
"Pirates." 


	5. First Time Failure

The town was overrun. Flames hungrily devoured building after building, consuming one before jumping to the next in line. The sounds of screaming and cold laughter battled with the roaring of the flames. Women ran terrified from the pirates chasing them, clutching their nightgowns close to them and tears running down their faces. The men tried to protect them, but most were not a match for the pure brutality of the pirates. Windows shattered as pirates grabbed for valuable objects that they could contribute to the wealth of the ship and to their wealth as well.  
  
In the middle of it all, Jane Travers stumbled down the middle of the street, calling for her sons. Not a single person stopped her. Not a single man to drag her from harm, or a woman to tell her to run, or a pirate to take what he wanted from her. Jane had been labeled as different from the day she had arrived in the small port town, escaping the narrow minded persecution of those that called her a witch. They were not wrong in calling her that, but wanting her death for being a child of nature was more than she could bear. So in the middle of the night, she had fled to the docks with Andrew and Joshua. With what money she had, she bartered passage. When they had arrived on the island, the people knew something was different about her, yet they weren't quick to condemn her, nor were they friendly about it.  
  
Even now, in a time of terror, it showed that they were scared of her. Not a single soul touched her as she cried her sons' names in the street, houses burning around her, people losing their lives and enduring things that would leave them scarred for the rest of their lives. She saw children leaning against buildings, crying for their mothers and fathers. But none of them were her sons. She looked around her, taking in everything. Worry gripped her so tightly that it was hard to breathe and she was worried for a moment that she might pass out.  
  
Then her world came crashing to a halt and fell down around her. Picking up the hem of her nightgown, she sprinted towards the alleyway and the two distinct shapes lying on the ground. She ran across broken glass and didn't even notice as the shards pierced her foot and she bled out onto the dirt street. The shapes were two little boys, lying motionless. The younger of the two lay on his front and she could see the blood seeping out from underneath him. The older was lying on his stomach, blood staining his white shirt and dead eyes staring up into the sky. Jane felt for the alley wall, her legs feeling weak. She slid to the ground, tears welling up in her eyes and she began to rock back and forth, crying out their names.  
  
Around her, the chaos continued, the world paying no heed to the pain she felt. The only two people in her life who had never judged her, who had looked up to her with love in their eyes without being judgmental, were gone. She sobbed into her hands, lying against the wall of the alleyway.  
  
Slowly her sobs began to abate as anger welled up inside of her. She had never felt this way before, not even when the husband she had loved and trusted so much had accused her of witchcraft. She had never hated him, only pitied. But this was different. She hated the men who had taken the lives of her son and wanted them to suffer. Those thoughts took her to a dark place in her soul that she had never been to before. Her feet took her out into the middle of the street again, her arms hanging limply at her sides.  
  
"Well, well, well...what do we have here?" She stared at the pirate as he turned from the man he had been so patiently torturing and walked her way. She could tell he was the captain by the way he swaggered and the way he dressed. He was the fanciest of them all, and she could see by the way he carried himself that he knew that. "Ain't you a pretty little thing?" He put one of his dirty hands, stained with blood, against the side of her face. "I think I'd like to have a little bit of fun with you."  
  
Captain Joseph Harper wasn't as well known as most of his compatriots on the Spanish Main. One reason was because he was a stupid man. He was all flash and not enough common sense, leading him into one problem after another. If he had been a smart man, he would've realized that what he was doing was a mistake. He would've seen it in her eyes.  
  
Jane looked up at him, her eyes dark with fury. "I curse you for what you've done." She told him through clenched teeth. "May your crew never know rest because of your stupidity. May they know the darkness of their souls and suffer with it forever. Time will not go on for them and they will live forever in the hell of their own making!" She screamed at him. "And you who were their undoing will watch. You will watch them suffer, knowing that you were the one who will forever condemn them." With that said she shut her mouth, lips pressed together in a thin line.  
  
Captain Harper was silent for a few moments before a smirk slowly appeared across his face. "I don't believe in curses, luv." He let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark and shoved her back into the grasps of two of his men. "Have fun with this one. She has spirit." He told them.  
  
Later that night when his crew had come back to the ship and the spoils were divided, he noticed that something suddenly felt very wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when morning never came. The men were puzzle by this and asked questions, but he would have no answers for them. It continued on for weeks, and then months, and then years. A century had passed and everything had changed except for them. Not a single man looked a day older or different. They couldn't die, caught in a time loop where the night that doomed them repeated forever.  
  
Harper was irate, realizing what had happened. His crew was cursed, hell unleashed upon their souls. He grew angry, convinced that all the forces of the world had turned against him and his crew, and he only knew one way to fight back.  
  
"Our souls have been damned to an unmentionable hell for crimes that other men have committed and gotten away with." He snapped, looking down over the crew. "We shall see none of heaven and never find out peace, but I say we take something for what we lost." The men cheered loudly, knowing what was coming. "I say we take the souls in payment for the ones trapped here!" He called out to his men. "What say you?"  
  
-----------  
  
"In response to the captain's decree, the deck was filled with the cheering of damned men." Will finished. He hadn't realized that he'd had such a rapt audience. Jack, Nina, Hannah, and Emma were all staring at him, not uttering a word. Jack was the first to look away, a thoughtful expression on his face. Hannah stared numbly at the sand, Emma sitting in her lap and staring up at Will with her mouth hanging open. Nina tapped her fingers against her lips, trying to think of something to say. Which was more than enough of a challenge as she was someone who hadn't believed in the supernatural before and was just hit with enough proof that she couldn't do anything but believe. Will rubbed his arms, feeling the goosebumps rising in the chilly night air. "That's the story as was told to me by my father. A well known legend around the Caribbean, and it was supposedly nothing more than a story to scare children into staying in their beds and night and discourage them from sneaking off."  
  
"So now we're chasing a real live bed time story across the Caribbean." Nina said, raising an eyebrow. After the news report on the attacks and Jack came up with his theory that the pirates would attack the last three islands before disappearing again, they'd left to find a way to intercept the ship. Between Nina and Jack's quick talking, and more than a little bit of lying on Jack's part, they had managed to get an emergency charter at the airfield outside of town. It was up in the air that Jack had declared his love for the sea numerous times by stating that it wasn't right for man to fly, while Will had spent most of the trip with his face tinged light green and holding tightly to the flight sickness bag. Once they had arrived, the only thing anyone could think to do was wait. So they'd headed to the beach and Jack had asked to hear the tale again, about the origin of the curse.  
  
Hannah nodded. "We are, only it's not just a bed time story. It's a nightmare come true." She said quietly, pulling her husband's jacket closer around her shoulders. Her fear was growing for Danny, if it was possible to be more worried than she already was. She didn't know what kind of hell he was in or what they were doing to him. She just wanted to find him and put her arms around him again.  
  
Emma pulled herself out of her mother's grasp and got to her feet. She quietly walked over to stand in front of where Will was sitting and put her little hands on his cheeks so he couldn't look away from her. "You're not my daddy, are you?" She said after a few moments. It amazed Nina how perceptive children were, much more than adults gave them credit for. The scene before her broke her heart and she looked over at Jack. The pirate wasn't even paying attention, the expression on his face showing that he was thinking up some scheme. Hopefully a successful one. Hannah reached over to grab her arm.  
  
"Emma, what kind of a question is...?" She was cut off as Will answered.  
  
"No I'm not." He felt like he was being interrogated under the little girl's gaze and felt incredibly guilty about something he didn't even do or know that he did for that matter.  
  
"I know because you didn't kiss Sparky goodnight last night." She said, looking a little wounded. "She's kind of mad too 'cause she always gets a kiss goodnight, but she didn't last night." Will looked at her for a moment before both eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  
  
"Sparky?" He asked. Without saying a word, Hannah held up the dog stuffed animal that Emma had been toting with her into the living room when she couldn't sleep the night before. "Oh. Then I must apologize for my indiscretions." He caught himself when Emma looked confused at the word he'd just used. "My...mistake. I hope she'll accept one tonight as an apology?" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"I'm havin' a thought here." Jack's voice caught their collective attention and they turned towards him, attentive to what he had to say. He spoke up louder to be heard over the beat of the music from the open-air nightclub down the beach. "The captain condemned his men to their fate or so the story says. So the key to breakin' the curse has to be the man who did the condemin' to the crew in the first place because they wouldn't be cursed if he didn't do somethin' to condemn them, aye?"  
  
Nina glared at him. "I'm just going to shake my head in agreement and pretend I know what you just said."  
  
"Maybe if you took a moment to think about it. It always helped Gibbs out." He responded quickly.  
  
Nina was about to say something when screams erupted from nearby. Jack got to his feet, grabbing Will by the collar of his shirt and yanking him along. "Stay here!" He called to Nina and Hannah as they ran for the nightclub. Nina got to her feet, staring down the beach. She could see dark shapes moving into the beating strobe lights on the dance floor. The screams grew louder and the music suddenly stopped.  
  
"If he thinks that I'll just stay here while he takes my lover's body into battle, he's got another thing coming." Nina said angrily. She was just about to take off running when Hannah grabbed her arm.  
  
"Where's Emma?"  
  
--------------------  
  
The young woman's eyes rolled up into her head as she went limp in his grasp. Captain Harper smirked and let her slide limply to the floor, already searching for his next victim. His hunger for souls to torture remained unslaked and he wanted more to keep him satisfied. Like a predator he moved around the dance floor, avoiding people who came running in his direction, chased by one of his crew. His attention went to a young girl, no more than sixteen by her appearance. She was curled up in a corner, sobbing hysterically. Just what he was looking for. He moved towards her, enjoying the look of terror on her face as she realized she had been spotted. He grabbed her by what little shirt she was wearing and pulled her to her feet, stroking her cheek with one hand.  
  
"Please..." She begged between tears, grasping the hand that held so tightly to her shirt. "Please don't hurt me. I don't want to die." She broke down into sobs again, the rest of her words unintelligible.  
  
"Who says you'll die?" He asked her and her eyes grew wide at the thoughts of other plans he might have for her. "Let me show you something."  
  
"I think she just wants to be let go, honestly." Harper turned to look over his shoulder to see who had regarded him with so much ease. His gaze fell on a dark haired man leaning up against the bar. Dressed in a simple white T-shirt and worn blue jeans with boots, he didn't seem like he was any threat to Harper. But the fact that he had spoken without so much as a hint of fear in his voice intrigued him. He let the girl go and started for him.  
  
"You dare speak to me like my equal?" He asked as he came closer. "You should fear me. I am what nightmares are made of. You'll soon find that out. What's your name, so my crew will know who needs the special treatment."  
  
"Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack watched the cocky bastard sauntering his way like he actually thought he could hurt him.  
  
"Jack Sparrow?" Harper burst out laughing. "Jack Sparrow is dead, you imbecile. He's been dead for a very long time."  
  
Jack shrugged. "I am dead. I'm just takin' leave of heaven for a while." He pushed away from the bar, one arm still held behind his back.  
  
"Taking a leave or kicked out?"  
  
"Well, you don't think I could stay up there when there's someone like you running about, do you?" Quickly Jack pulled the cutlass from behind his back, swinging towards Harper. The surprised pirate jumped back, the tip of the cutlass tearing through his shirt. He yanked his blade loose and blocked Jack's second strike.  
  
"I should've known. Can't stay out of the people's attention for long, can you?" Harper said, pushing Jack back. He pushed forward a thrust of his own, but Jack parried it easily to the side.  
  
"It's not the attention, mate, it's the reputation. But this time it's personal. You have something that belongs to my family and I want it back, savvy?" He pushed away another thrust and pushed forward with his own attack. Jack's blade cut through the shirtsleeve, drawing a red line across Harper's arm.  
  
"That's not fair." Harper growled.  
  
"Pirate."  
  
------------------  
  
"Get out! Hurry!" Will shouted into the panicking crowd. He couldn't understand why the panicking crowd was looking for places to hide under booths and behind the bar when they could be free just by heading down the stairs onto the beach. "Go!" He shoved a nearby man and his female friend towards the stairs, hoping that more would follow after them. "It's safer on the beach!" What they didn't understand was on the elevated dance floor, it was easier for them to be grabbed.  
  
He turned around to push more people towards the stairs and found himself face to face with one of the pirates. The pirate grinned, showing rotting teeth. "Look at what I got meself. Boy fancies himself a hero. Well, I'll just have to cure th..." His eyes locked on Will's and the young man suddenly felt like he was being tugged at although no one was touching him. He heard tortured screams and felt the heat licking at his skin, horrible taunts from the demons that beckoned him with long fingers, calling him to his doom...  
  
Suddenly he snapped out of it, shaking his head as the pirate looked on in disbelief. There was a red mark on his jaw where Will had lashed out and scored a direct hit. The pirate's expression grew darker and he swung at Will with his cutlass. "You'll pay for that!"  
  
Will couldn't move fast enough and the blade whipped across his stomach. He hissed at the shallow wound, which stung more than anything. The pirate swung at him again. He dove onto the floor, rolling away and getting to his feet. His eyes rested on another pirate who was intent on playing with his prey. The cutlass was still in its sheath. Will grabbed it and slammed the hilt down on the back of the pirate's neck. The young man he had been playing with elbowed the pirate in the gut as he felt his grasp loosen and darted for the stairs. Will turned back to the approaching pirate, ready to fight.  
  
------------------------  
  
Danny cried out in pain and dropped his cards onto the deck. All eyes in the room turned towards him as he grabbed his arm and cursed. Yanking off his dinner jacket, he noticed a red stain on his shirt. He unbuttoned the shirt and looked down at his stomach. A long bloody line, shallow enough, went from the bottom of his ribs to his hipbone, like someone had dragged a knife without much weight behind it along his stomach. "What the hell?" He looked up to his father.  
  
Ben shook his head. "I don't...nothing like this has ever happened before. You didn't do anything to piss them off, did you?" Danny shook his head quickly. There was no tear in the shirt, just the wound beneath. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was another grunt of pain as red soaked into the cloth of the shirt on his upper arm.  
  
--------------------  
  
Will held one hand against the new wound on his arm, staring at the pirate in front of him. The man grinned widely, admiring the blood that stained his cutlass. The fight had never been fair to start with, but being unable to actually injure the pirate had heavily tipped the scales in the man's favor. He backed up, his good arm still holding the cutlass up in defense.  
  
The pirate lunged and would have run Will through if another body hadn't come flying into him and sent him flying through the rail to the ground below. He hit and rolled, the wind knocked from his lungs. Jack pulled himself to a sitting position, muttering an oath under his breath. Will propped himself up on one elbow, groaning. The mark across his stomach burned and his arm hurt and now his ribs were in pain as well. Jack looked a little worse for the wear, his hair ruffled and bleeding from the nose, as well as a vicious looking wound stretching from his elbow to his wrist.  
  
"Bloody pirates." Will grunted. "I couldn't even injure one. As soon as I'd left a mark it had healed again." He took a deep breath and then paused as he noticed Jack staring at him.  
  
"They healed? Just like that?" He asked. Will nodded. "The captain didn't. I left a few good marks on him before he scampered away. A coward at his finest." He looked around the beach where people were huddle in groups. In the distance he could hear sirens. "Next time we need something more than rushing in." Will nodded again in agreement, lying down on his side to try and abate the pain in his ribs.  
  
"Jack?" Instead of lying still he got to his feet and started walking slowly towards the shore. Jack pulled himself to his feet without his usual ease and limped after him. When he caught up with Will, he saw Emma sitting cross legged with her back to them, looking out at the ocean.  
  
"Not a good idea for you to be out here, luv. Not with the nasty men around." Jack said, but the little girl didn't move, giving no sign that she'd heard them. Will knelt down and put his arm on her shoulder.  
  
"Emma..." He trailed off as the little girl fell backwards into his arms. Her eyes were closed, but he could still see her chest rising and falling. She was still alive, but she wasn't there. "No..." Jack swore and knelt down beside her. Sparky slipped off her lap and landed in the sand beside him as Will shook her shoulder.  
  
"Come on, Emma." Jack intoned, picking up the dog. "Wake up, little one." Emma still didn't move and Will carefully opened one eye. A shiver ran up his spine as he was struck by how cold and lifeless the look in her eye was.  
  
"They took her soul." He said quietly. The scream from behind them made them both turn around and look up, just in time to see Hannah fall into Nina's open arms, sobbing. Nina's eyes were wide in horror, staring down at the small child lying in Will's arms, not moving. She hugged Hannah tightly, tears coming to her own eyes as she looked away. Will looked up at Jack, his look intense.  
  
"We have to stop them." 


	6. A Second Chance

"We've got two more chances." Hannah said quietly as she chewed on her thumb. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying she had done most of the night. Now she was in an almost catatonic, speaking only a few words at a time. Nina leaned up against the doorway, resting her head against the cool wall and closing her eyes. Will was sitting on the other side of the waiting room, staring at the wall and off in his own thoughts. The last anyone had seen of Jack, he'd been off to discover the miraculous miracle of coffee.  
  
They'd been in the emergency room all night. Both Jack and Will had required stitches for the injuries sustained during the fight and Emma had been taken in for tests. Nina doubted that the doctors would believe them if she told them that the little girl was fine except for the fact that her soul was gone. She rubbed her forehead and walked over to sit beside Hannah, putting an arm around her shoulders. Hannah leaned against Nina's shoulder, closing her eyes.  
  
"I know." Nina said softly, kissing the top of her head. "And you know what? We've seen what these pirates can do. Jack and Will and the two of us will be ready this time. We'll defeat them and everything will be fine again." She wished she could believe her own words, but there was so much apprehension in her heart. What chance did the four of them stand against a cursed crew? She rubbed Hannah's shoulder, but didn't voice what she felt. She couldn't do that to the young woman now.  
  
The door of the waiting room opened and two men walked in. The first looked a little overcaffinated and jumpy while the second watched him with a certain amount of suspicion and curiosity. Nina wondered just how much coffee Jack had drank before they cut him off. The doctor was regarding him as if he were someone worth sending to the psychiatric ward. Hannah got up from her seat, more interested in what the doctor had to say than anything else. He held up a hand, motioning for her to sit down.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Turner?" He asked, addressing Jack and Hannah. Jack's head shot up and he shook his head quickly, pointing at Will. Will got up from the chair, coming to stand at Hannah's side. Without thinking, she slipped her hand into his for a brief second before yanking it back, remembering that it wasn't her husband at the moment. She tried to cover it up by putting her hand in the pockets of her jeans. Will also looked slightly uncomfortable, crossing his arms across his chest. "We did a few tests on your daughter. Blood work ups, MRI, Catscan, and so on. There's nothing wrong with her. You have a perfectly healthy little girl and we're honestly stumped as to why she won't wake up." Hannah closed her eyes, tears coming again as Will looked away.  
  
"Thank you." Will said quietly. The doctor nodded, leaving the family alone in the waiting room. "We have to find a way to stop that captain and his crew." He said as soon as the door had closed.  
  
"But the question is how." Nina said, running her hands through her hair. "Most of the men you cut healed themselves and by the amount of bandages on you, you obviously weren't as lucky. We're out of our league here, so we're going to have to bring them into ours." She stood up. "It's going to take all four of this and we have to leave now. They're going to attack the next island soon, and we need to be there."  
  
Jack watched her, for the moment missing Anamaria. This woman reminded him so much of her with her commanding nature and graceful beauty. He wanted this to be over so he could go back and lie in her arms in their cabin, not a care in the world. But until the pirates were defeated and the souls restored, he wasn't going anywhere.  
  
"The captain is the man we need to be lookin' for." Jack said and was granted everyone's full attention. "Unlike his men, he can be harmed. I'm thinkin' if we can kill him, the rest go with him." Jack got to his feet, crossing his arms. "Accordin' to the story, the crew was cursed because of him. So, the man to blame has to be him." He smirked. "Now we just need a plan."  
  
---------------------  
  
Ben crouched down, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. The card game they'd been playing with three of the others trapped in the room had ended quickly after the phantom attacks on Danny had begun. Most of them were convinced that he had angered the captain in some way and none wanted to be guilty by association. They'd moved back to the other side of the room, shooting glances his way and whispering.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Ben asked, sitting down beside him. Danny opened his eyes and looked up at his father.  
  
"I feel like I got into a fight with a tiger. It's not supposed to feel like this if we're just spirits, right?" He asked quietly. Most of the wounds had been reduced to dull aches and had quit bleeding. He'd been surprised to find he still bled. His father had said it was because the soul was the body in a way. What happened to the physical body happened to the soul as well.  
  
The door into the cabin swung open. The woman who had brought Danny to the cabin, who he had found out was named Mary, shook her head. "More souls stolen away." She said quietly. "Those poor people." They watched as the souls shuffled in. Danny guessed they had come from a nightclub by the way they dressed in. One of the girls broke into hysterical sobbing and dropped to the floor. The man who had been standing beside her dropped to his knees and took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. The others bypassed her, looking around them in fear at the odd assortment of souls that filled the room. They stayed close together, forming their own group in the corner. Two guys made up the end of the group, with a little girl standing between them.  
  
Danny's breath caught in his throat as he saw her and he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "No. It can't be. Please, no." He whispered. Ben gave him a strange look and glanced over his shoulder then back at Danny. Danny got to his feet quicker than he had since the strange attacks and ran over, dropping to his knees in front of her.  
  
Emma threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He could feel her little body shaking in terror in his arms and felt the tears come to his eyes. She held tightly to him, burying her face in his shoulder. He was her comfort and a familiar presence. He held tightly to her, rubbing her back and talking to her quietly. After a few moments she calmed down but still clung tightly to him. He got to his feet, picking her up in his arms and headed over to his father.  
  
"Dad, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter." He said quietly. "This is Emma Marie Turner. Emma, this is your other grandfather, Ben." After hesitating a moment, she looked towards Ben. Danny plucked the few stray hairs that were sticking to her tear soaked face and gently tucked them back behind her ear. Ben smiled gently at her.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Emma." She regarded him, studying him as if she couldn't decide as if he was one of the bad guys or not. Finally she relented and gave him one of her special smiles. She lifted her head from Danny's shoulders and held her arms out towards Ben. Danny handed her over to him. "You know, I might never have an idea of what your wife looks like. You daughter is all Turner." He said with a laugh. Emma planted a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Emma, sweetie, do you remember what happened?" Danny asked gently as both he and his father sat down on the floor. Emma sat in Ben's lap, leaning up against him.  
  
"I was on the beach with Grandpa Jack and Will and then I saw something so I went to go see what it was." The tears reappeared in her eyes. "A scary man came after me but I couldn't run away and there was lots of screaming and angry evil people and then I fell asleep." Ben kissed the top of her head and tried to keep her calm.  
  
"Wait, Grandpa Jack?" He asked suddenly. "Will? Who are these people?" Ben watched as his son looked away, as if trying to figure out the best way to tell his father the story.  
  
"Well, it all started the night the horses got loose from their fence..." Danny started and for the next hour told his father the story; of Jonas Smythe the pirate captain and Cecilia, of Captain Jack Sparrow and William Turner and the fate that befell them. He spoke about Jack and Will's rescue of Anamaria and Hannah and Jack's defeat of Smythe. Throughout the whole story, Ben stared at his son, not sure whether to think him insane or to believe his story.  
  
Once Danny had finished, there was a moment of silence between them. "Well, that was...interesting." Ben finally managed. Emma had fallen asleep in his arms, curled up with her head against her chest. He didn't quite know what to think. On one hand immortal pirates had kidnapped his soul and it wasn't a nightmare. He was quite sure of that. But on the other hand, he was still quite wary of the supernatural world and wasn't quick to believe everything. "So you're saying there's the spirit of a dead blacksmith running around possessing you while you aren't home and Mike isn't Mike but a dead pirate captain. And these two are ancestors?" Danny nodded in response. "Oh good. Just checking." He still looked reluctant to believe, but didn't say anything more.  
  
Danny watched Emma sleeping. "I never wanted this to happen to her. Our only hope is that Jack and Will can stop these pirates or else..." He drifted off, thinking about Hannah. First she would lose a husband, and then she would lose a daughter. He wasn't ready to leave the mortal coil just yet anyway. There were so many joys of fatherhood and being a husband that he hadn't experienced yet, and he loved being a teacher. His life was so full and good right now to leave it behind. And Emma. His dear, sweet little girl. There was so much to life she hadn't experienced yet.  
  
------------  
  
"Never, ever again." Nina said, rubbing her forehead. "Never will you two be in charge of getting our transportation." Her anger was focused on the two men in front of her. Everything had been going along well. They'd found another private airfield to charter a flight to the next island and had arrived with time to spare. Jack and Will had offered to go get the boat for their plan. Then as the sun was setting on the horizon, they'd left the marina to go out into the bay.  
  
Which was when Nina had found out why the rental had been so cheap. Jack had commandeered it. She pointed a finger in his face, trying to think of something to say to him but coming up with nothing for a moment. Jack crossed his arms, almost challenging her. It'd been that way on the Pearl too. She'd challenge something he'd said and he'd returned the challenge. It all worked out when later that night she would drag him into the cabin for 'spending time' together. A small smirk graced his lips at those memories.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" Nina demanded. Seeing that look on Mike's face excited her. The only thing that kept her at bay was knowing that it wasn't Mike making that expression, but Jack. "Stop smiling at me." She growled, clutching at the rail off the small boat they'd rented. "Hear me?" But Jack had suddenly quit paying attention to her.  
  
"It's time." Hannah whispered from behind her and Nina turned to see what they were all looking at. The ship barely stood out from the dark sky, moving silently through the waters towards the bay. Jack turned from the sight and headed back to the wheel.  
  
"Raise the sails. It's time we paid a little visit." 


	7. All Aboard

He had lost track of time many years ago. After the first few years, the attempts to keep track of time had seemed fruitless and he had given up. How many years had it been now since that night? Hundreds or just a few? The world around them had changed so quickly that it was hard to tell. Each time he and his crew went on land, he was surprised by how things had changed. The strange metallic carriages that had replaced horse drawn carts sped up and down the streets, the dress was much more different and sometimes in the ladies' cases, improper almost, and the attitudes people had towards situations were different. For a moment, he wondered what it was like to live in those times.  
  
Captain Harper made a move to scratch the back of his head and hissed at the pain that shot through his arm. That damnable man who claimed to be Jack Sparrow had cut his arm deeply and unlike the rest of his crew, he didn't heal as quick. It confused him as to why he was so different from his men. Wasn't he supposed to suffer as they had? Apparently not as he could still be wounded like a mortal man and perhaps even die of a mortal wound. If he had wanted to, he could end his life right now. Maybe his men would go free then, able to find their rest. But he wasn't going to do that. Harper and his men had lost their souls to the hell that they lived in. They didn't have a caring thought for anyone now and the only pleasure they ever received was to build up the collection of souls that were kept in the forecastle.  
  
They hadn't seen the light for years. The ship was always caught in that moment of time when Jane Travers had cursed them. For a moment he reflected on what it felt like to feel the warmth of the rays against his skin and feel it penetrate his soul. But that was gone. The ship had also taken on a more frightening aspect. It showed men as they truly were. A few of his crew had become so lost in the darkness that their faces had taken on demonic qualities, truly frightening to behold. Harper touched the side of his face, wondering when his own would become demonic in nature.  
  
Not that he cared any longer. He had resigned himself to the fact that this was his life now. He had not only accepted it, but also embraced it fully. The pain and suffering imposed on others had washed away his pining for his own mortality long ago. His crew had stepped up and become the most hellish crew he had ever had the pleasure of captaining. This was his life now, and he loved it.  
  
------------------  
  
Jack checked the knot of the rope on the grapple and stepped back a few paces. "Everyone out of the way." He whispered. "Give me some wind up room." He had managed to pull the small boat up beside the ship with the aid of the thick layer of fog that lay on the ocean. Unfortunately it just made things a bit harder to see and he didn't want to hit anyone upside the head in his attempt to get the grapple up on the deck. Hannah had stayed by the wheel, grasping it tightly as if it were some life support, and Will had moved out of range. But Nina stood firm in front of him, crossing her arms. Jack gave her a dark look. "Move it, luv."  
  
"Move it? You're going up there and you think I'm just going to let you? Tough luck." She stared him down. "I'm not some child you can order around, Jack. I can fight and I will to get my family back." She watched as Jack dropped the grapple on the deck and came over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Aye, but do you know how to fight cursed pirates?" He asked. Nina stared at him for a moment before responding.  
  
"No." She said. "But it's fighting all the same. That I can do." Jack gave a weary sigh and slowly moved her to the side.  
  
"Just let me and Will do some reconnaissance and then you're free to come help should trouble happen." He said, letting go of her and going back to the grapple. Nina stared at him for a moment. He wasn't going to let her go now, but once the two were aboard, she'd be free to do as she pleased. She wasn't planning on sitting down on the job while they risked their lives. That was not her and never was. She wasn't helpless. Staying quiet, she sat down on the ground, waiting for her moment to strike.  
  
After a few attempts that consisted of the grapple hook missing the rail and nearly falling down on top of Jack while the pirate cursed and swore, the hook finally struck it's mark. Jack pulled on it a few times, finding it steady. With a nod of his head, he motioned for Will to come over and started climbing up. After he had gotten a few feet up, Will followed behind him.  
  
Nina stayed sitting where she was until she saw them climb over the railing above her and then quickly got to her feet. She reached for the rope, only to find that there was another hand already there. Hannah peered through the fog at her and for the first time that day smiled, however slight it was.  
  
"I guess you're not one for staying behind either, are you?" She whispered. Nina smirked and nodded.  
  
"People don't tell me what to do. I tell me what to do." She responded and motioned to the line. "After you." Hannah grabbed the rope and began her descent upwards, Nina not too far behind. The climb up was tense, the women not wanting to be caught sight of by the pirate on watch or Jack and Will for that matter.  
  
Hannah slid under the rail and held a hand out for Nina. Nina grasped the hand and pulled herself up on the deck, brushing herself off. "Now, lets see if we can find the lost ones." She whispered back. Hannah nodded and pointed towards an entrance.  
  
"There's as good a place as any." She said quietly. Suddenly she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and turned quickly, gasping. She backed away from the pirate while Nina grabbed at the gun she had grabbed on the boat and aimed it at the pirate. There was something oddly familiar about him. He was a little taller than her, dark hair in dreadlocks around his face, a few beaded. The red bandana around his head kept most of it out of his face. His beard was braided into two little braids. The longer Nina studied him, the more familiar he became.  
  
"Jack?" She asked in shock, eyes growing wider. It looked as if there was more to the ship than they had originally thought if the Jack the pirate was making his appearance.  
  
"Aye. Who else would I be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina gestured at his clothing with the gun and he glanced down. A look of shock crossed his face and he reached up to finger one of the braids, as if to make sure it was really there. "Oh." He smirked. "Reverting to true form, luv."  
  
Nina shook her head and looked away as she stuffed the gun back into the hem of her pants. Part of her wondered if it was so wrong to be turned on by a dirty pirate like him, not knowing that he was looking at her and missing Ana.  
  
"Nothing over there." Will appeared by Jack's side. He too had gone back a few centuries. His hair was longer and pulled back at the nape of his neck with a worn ribbon. His clothes were simple, the same that he had worn as a blacksmith so many years ago. Hannah cocked her head to the side slightly, looking him over. "They came?" Will asked, watching her strange reaction. Jack nodded.  
  
"I didn't think they would stay." He said, looking pointedly at Nina, who smiled sweetly back at him. "I think we're going to have to..."  
  
"Well bless me heart, it really is Captain Jack Sparrow after all." Jack spun, staring into the fog and trying to figure out the direction from which the voice had come in.  
  
"Aye." He drawled. "I told you, Harper, but you didn't seem to believe me." His hand rested on the butt of the pistol in his sash. Harper laughed.  
  
"Well, it did seem a little strange." He replied, regarding Jack through slightly narrowed eyes. "But here you are. The legend of the Caribbean." He looked past Jack. "And Bootstrap's son. If he doesn't look just like his father." He looked thoughtful. "I thought I took snatched his soul up."  
  
Jack shook his head. "No, that's Daniel Turner, his descendant. We want him back and that little girl of his. Bastards taking a little darling like that. I think you need to learn some manners mate." Quickly he drew the pistol and aimed at the pirate captain. His finger had just tightened when another body slammed into him and he went flying to the deck. The shot went off, but came nowhere close to it's intended target. Upon hitting the deck, it slipped from Jack's fingers and went skidding across the deck.  
  
Will was already moving to come to Jack's aid when he was grabbed by the shoulder and thrown against the bulkhead. It gave way and he fell inside, skidding across the floor. Around him, the lost souls stood up and backed away. Many of them hadn't seen a mortal in their presence for years. Will got to his feet, looking for something to use as a weapon. He spun around, only to find himself face to face with none other than Danny. Danny's jaw dropped open and Will's eyes grew wider. For a moment, neither one could look away.  
  
Ben looked between the two, amazed at how nearly identical they were. "Well I'll be damned." Emma, who had been curled up in his arms, looked from the strange sight to her grandfather, frowning.  
  
"It's not nice to curse." She pinched him hard. "That's what mommy does every time daddy curses." Ben was properly chastised and looked back to the scene. Emma wiggled in his arms, trying to get down. He finally put her down on the ground. She hurried over and stood between the two, looking up in confusion. "Daddy?" She looked from Danny to Will.  
  
Danny slowly shook his head. "You must be Will." Will nodded.  
  
"And you're Danny. Wouldn't happen to have a weapon around here, would you?" He asked. One of the souls waved at the blacksmith.  
  
"Over here!" He moved away from the wall to show him the fire poker. "It's not much, but it'll do for what you need it for." Will jogged over, grabbing the poker and hefting it, getting a feel for it.  
  
"It'll have to do." He said, just as the pirate entered the room, boots falling heavily on the ground. He raised his cutlass and charged at Danny, mistaking the man for Will. Danny's eyes widened and he snatched up Emma, falling backwards onto the floor and out of the way. Like a charging bull, he came to a stop and turned for another attack when the poker came whistling through the air. He snarled in pain as it crashed into the side of his neck, the small hook on the edge embedding itself into his neck. With a quick movement, he turned and the poker was jerked from Will's hands, lodged in the pirate's neck. "That didn't work." He jumped back as the pirate swiped the cutlass at him.  
  
"And now you're dead boy." The pirate smirked at him, showing teeth that had nearly rotted away. Unable to stop himself, Will's nose wrinkled up as he caught a whiff of his breath. He assumed that was what rotting corpses smelled like. It was quite disconcerting to see the pirate standing there with the poker lodged in his neck.  
  
"I'm sure this was a great misunderstanding." Will put his hands up, trying to stall for time. "We just came to bring home some friends. Nothing against you, good sir."  
  
"I ain't a sir." The pirate snarled and swiped at him again. This time Will wasn't quick enough and the blade sliced through his shirt and broke a few of the stitches on his stomach from the last encounter. He grunted in pain as Danny did the same across the room, crossing his arms over his stomach. The pirate looked between them. "Well ain't this just interesting..."  
  
------------------  
  
Jack dug his fingers into the two hands wrapped painfully tight around his neck. The pirate winced but held tightly to him. Jack was beginning to see stars dancing around in his vision and air was becoming scarce. His lungs were burning, demanding more oxygen. He brought his knee up into the pirate's privates and rolled, throwing him off. Coughing, he got to his feet and started searching for the cutlass that had been lost early on in the fight. He picked it up, turning back around to face the pirate, who was already sprinting in his direction. The blade slid into his stomach and came out the other side. Howling in pain, the pirate stepped back, hands tugging on the hilt. Using the moment to his advantage, Jack grabbed a hold of one of the loose rigging lines and launched himself at the pirate. Both feet hit him in the chest and he cried out as he fell overboard with a loud splash.  
  
Two more arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him into the air. The next thing he knew he was hurtling onto the deck and bouncing painfully. The air left his lungs and he groaned, trying to catch his breath again. The large pirate, who reminded him very much of the bosun on the Black Pearl when she had been under Barbossa's control, grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. The toes of his boots just barely dragged on the ground. Making a fist, he swung out and hit the man across the jaw with as much strength as he could muster. The pirate stumbled, accidentally dropping Jack. He landed on his feet, shaking his fist and cursing. He was pretty sure that that was what hitting a brick wall was like.  
  
Nina pulled the gun out, taking aim. "I don't care if it just stuns the ass. I'm not letting him walk all over Mike."  
  
"Jack." Hannah said.  
  
"I meant Jack." Nina squeezed the trigger in rapid succession. The pirate jerked as the bullets hit him. Suddenly the gun was snatched from her hands and an arm wrapped around her neck.  
  
"What have we got here? Been a long time since there's been a solid pretty little thing like you in this ship." Nina's nose wrinkled up in disgust as the breath wafted in front of her. A hand suddenly found it's way onto her ass and her blood began to boil.  
  
Her elbow shot back into his gut, followed by her foot slamming down onto his instep. Her fist shot up and smashed him in the nose before she made a double fist and hit him in the groin. The pirate collapsed onto the deck, whimpering. Nina looked down at him with a satisfied expression. "S.I.N.G. Works every time."  
  
Hannah looked over her shoulder. "'Miss Congeniality?'" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina crossed her arms and nodded.  
  
"See, the media is good for something?" As she turned to face Hannah, she caught sight of another pirate coming up behind the young woman. "Duck!" She put a hand on Hannah's head and pushed her down while throwing a punch with the other. It was just enough to knock him off balance and allow Hannah to rush into his stomach. He toppled over the rail and landed in the water below.  
  
Jack stumbled over to the rail beside them, looking a little ruffled. "That's it? I thought he'd throw a lot more at us than this." He said, leaning up against the rail. Nina shot him a dark look.  
  
"Do you like getting hurt?" She growled, ready to give him hell. He held up one finger and pushed away from the rail, looking around. He finally found his pistol resting next to a pile of coiled ropes and bent down to grab it.  
  
Hannah's scream echoed over the deck, startling him. He got to his feet, looking around. "What?" He shouted. Nina's face had grown pale in the moonlight and one hand covered her mouth. Hannah broke out into a sprint, running towards the forecastle. Jack turned to see where she was running. "No..." He took of running as well, Nina right behind him.  
  
The young woman came to a stop by Will's side, falling to her knees and carefully turning him over. He cringed in pain, holding his hands to his side as the dark crimson stain spread on his shirt. Jack stood just behind her, looking down.  
  
"I don't think it's..." He was cut off as the poker suddenly came down across his neck and he was yanked backwards by the pirate Will had been fighting earlier. Harper appeared beside Nina, wrapping hand around her arm and putting the pistol to her head.  
  
"Enough with this." He growled angrily. "You four have made enough trouble tonight." Nina winced as his grip tightened on her arm, but still managed to give him an angry scowl.  
  
"Claw, take them to the brigs and lock them up. And if anything happens along the way, the boy will be the first to die and you'll all follow after. Are we clear?" There were a few mumbled responses and a gagging sound from Jack as he struggled against the poker held across his neck. "Claw, let the man go before you choke him to death." Claw grunted and did as he was told, letting Jack slid to the deck, coughing. Hannah clung tightly to Will's hand, refusing to leave until he was brought with her.  
  
"Don't be a silly fool, girl. He'll be fine." Harper snapped at her as Claw finally pulled her to her feet and threw her easily over one shoulder. She swore and slammed a fist down against his back, which barely seemed to faze him.  
  
Nina grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed it. More than ever she wished Mike was back so she could curl up in his arms. If he was back, then it meant that this was all over and nothing more than a horrible dream. To her surprise, he squeezed back. He was missing Anamaria at the moment, wishing that she was her. But at the moment, all they had were each other.  
  
-------------------  
  
Most of the lost souls were still in shock, whispering amongst themselves at what had just taken place. The young man who had barged in here had taken on the pirate and quickly found out that the harm he did lasted barely a moment. It hadn't taken long for the pirate to gain the upper hand and stab him in the side. Blood droplets trailed back to the bulkhead and outside, but also deviated on another path to the far side of the room.  
  
Danny groggily insisted that he was fine, but Ben was having none of it. His son's head rested against his shoulder and his eyes kept fighting not to close. "Dad, I'm just tired. Honestly." He yawned. Danny's concern rested with his daughter and everything she had seen the past few days. He was worried about how she would react to it. She had watched her father's soul be stolen, two dead ancestors had come back, her own soul had been taken, and now she had seen someone stabbed.  
  
He pulled away from his father and pushed himself to a sitting position, pushing away the groggy feeling. "Come here, babe." He called to her. She crawled over Ben's legs and into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out in pain as her knee knocked up against his injured side, feeling slightly light headed. There was a tiny sniffle, and then he felt the warm tears soaking into his shirt. He nodded towards his coat lying by Ben and held up his hand for it. Ben handed it over and Danny draped it over her shoulders, putting his arms around her again.  
  
"It's ok, little one. Soon we'll be out of here and back with Mike and Nina and your mother." He told her softly, resting his chin on her head and closing his eyes. She continued crying quietly and he felt her shaking in his grasp. His heart broke as he listened to her, wanting to make everything all right again. Against his will, his eyes started to shut again, his eyelids feeling too heavy to keep open. The wound at his side pulsed, sending pain up and down his left side. He bit his lip, pushing it away to concentrate on Emma, but one thought remained firm.  
  
They had to get out of there soon. 


	8. The Last Attempt

"How are you?" Will tore his eyes away from the scarlet splotches staining his shirt to look up at Hannah standing over him. He twisted the rag in his hands as he looked away. The answer to that question was a largely complicated one that he wasn't sure how to answer, but he knew well enough she was probably only asking about the wound in his side.  
  
"I'm fine." He answered quietly and quietly undid the buttons on his shirt. The fabric had matted itself in the wound and as he tugged it came loose with a good amount of pain. Without saying a word, Hannah knelt down and took the rag from his fingers and pulled back his shirt, exposing the bloody wound. Carefully she started wiping at the excess blood with gentle hands. He watched her, the thought of how much she reminded him of Elizabeth entering his mind not for the first time. She glanced up at him, poised to speak, but the words seemed to die on her lips as she caught him looking at her. There was a moment of tense silence between them before she finally remembered what she was going to say.  
  
"It's not quite as bad as it looks. The stitches from your last injury were torn, which made it look worse. Whatever you got in the way of, it didn't hit anything vital in your side." She said quietly, pressing the rag against his stomach. She picked up his hand and placed it on the rag. "Just hold tightly to that and it should keep it from bleeding too heavily."  
  
"Thank you." He said, giving her a small smile. She returned it with a nod and got to her feet, walking across the cell to where Nina was sitting with her arms curled around her knees, staring at the floor ahead of her. Hannah slid down to the ground next to her, running a hand through her light hair. Her gaze lingered on Will for a moment and then traveled to Jack.  
  
"Are we ever going to get out of here?" She asked softly. "There's one island left and we're in a cell beneath the deck that looks like it hasn't seen usage in centuries." Her hand rubbed the goose bumps appearing on her skin as she gazed around. In the corner opposite them, Jack was sprawled against the wall, having more or less of a staring contest with the skeleton that sat across from him in nearly the same manner. As she looked at him, she was struck by the thought that he didn't seem to be dwelling on the botched rescue attempt, but planning a way to get them out. There was a thoughtful expression on his face and once in a while he would make a small grunt or mutter something to himself.  
  
After a while, Will moved over to Jack's side and the two men spoke quietly. Neither one glanced in the direction of Nina or Hannah, which bothered Nina. She hugged her knees tighter, thinking of ways she could harm Jack if any harm came to her. A few scenarios even included coming back from the grave if that was what it took. Hannah chewed on her thumbnail, her thoughts very similar to Nina's.  
  
Finally Jack stood up, standing perfectly still and closing his eyes. "We've stopped." He said and everyone looked his way. "They'll be attackin' the island now, which means it's time." He opened his eyes and turned towards Will, giving him a discrete nod. Will raised his chin slightly and looked towards the door.  
  
"This is all your fault, Jack! I never should've helped you escape from that jail! I could've found Elizabeth on my own but I was stupid enough to trust you! What did I expect from a pirate?" The blacksmith's voice raised considerably in volume and there was a disgruntled tone in his voice, but the amused smirk on his face contradicted what he was saying.  
  
"Oh." Nina said quietly, getting the gist of the plan and getting to her feet. Hannah followed her, keeping her eyes on the two men. Unlike Nina, she wasn't sure what was happening yet and decided it best to stick next to someone who did. Nina gave her a gentle push in the direction of the shadowy corner of the cell and she went.  
  
Jack stood across from Will, facing him with an amused smirk of his own. "You trust me of your own stupidity, lad. I'm sorry you were too dense to realize that. Maybe next time you should try thinking before jumping into situations such as that, eh? Maybe you'll live longer." With that said, he glanced towards the door. Nothing happened, but he knew the guards were still out there. Will shot him a look that seemed to ask 'what now?' Jack held up a finger and crossed over to the skeleton. With a few firm tugs and more than a few uttered curses, he pulled loose the skeleton's tibia and fibula bones. The connective tissue was well rotted, allowing him to pull the bones apart. Even the bones themselves were in a state of decay and on the brittle side. Jack tossed on of the bones to Will and he caught it, a confused expression on his face.  
  
"What say you we settle this?" Jack said, holding out the bone like it was a sword. "Of course, it won't be a proper duel to the death, being with blunt objects and all."  
  
"So be it." Will responded in a loud voice. "Let us settle this once and for all so I can make up for mistakes past." Meanwhile Nina and Hannah had taken their cues from Jack and were tugging at the skeleton's remaining arms and legs, hoping to find a loose bone. All the while, Nina explained what she thought the plan was to Hannah. The skeleton made a series of clacking noises as they tugged, until finally the arm separated from the shoulder, sending Nina flying onto her butt. She held up the bone in victory and Hannah helped her to her feet.  
  
Jack looked back to the door. "I think we're going to have to suffer some pain to make them think this is real." He said quietly to Will. The younger man nodded and was about to respond when Jack's fist slammed across his face, knocking him backwards. For a few brief moments, he stood with his hand on his jaw, shocked that the pirate had done that. He had thought Jack meant that they were going to take a few swipes at each other with the makeshift swords, not this. With a real look of anger on his face, he balled up his fist and swung. Jack fell against the cell bars, eyes narrowing dangerously.  
  
"I can play this game too!" Will growled. A moment later it had turned into a full blown fight, words and insults flying. When Nina realized that it wasn't a ruse, her voice joined in, shouting for them to stop. The resulting melee prompted the two pirates left behind as guards to come investigate just what was going on in the cell. Once they realized that two of the prisoners were hell bent on ending each others lives, they started to panic, knowing the captain wanted the prisoners alive. The first one fumbled with the keys, trying to find the right one for the lock as Jack kneed Will in the stomach and pushed him against the wall. Nina jumped on his back, arms wrapped around his neck and shouting for him to stop before someone was seriously hurt. Will got to his feet and lunged for Jack again, but Hannah grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling backwards.  
  
The key slid in the lock and the pirate opened the cell. They both hurried in to stop the fight and were more than a little surprised when the four didn't even acknowledge their presence.  
  
"'ey! No fightin' in the..." The pirate that reached for Jack suddenly had acquired Nina, her arms around his neck and pulling tightly. He pulled at her arms, but the angry woman didn't plan to let go anytime soon. Jack turned from Will and grabbed the pirate's arms, nodding towards the bars. A moment later, the pirate was cursing, his head shoved between the bars of the cell and unable to get out. Will and Hannah had teamed up on the second pirate. A few minutes later, Hannah had tied him to the bars with the skeleton's rags while Will held him down. Jack picked the keys up off the floor as Will confiscated all the weapons he could find on the two pirates. Once they were all out of the cell, Jack locked it and threw the keys across the room into a corner out of reach from the cell.  
  
"That hurt." Will gave Jack a hurt look, rubbing his jaw. With an air of indignation, Jack pointed at his jaw  
  
"And this didn't? You hit hard, William."  
  
"I meant you kneeing me in the side."  
  
"I said we had to make it look real, didn't I?" Will didn't respond, rubbing his jaw with a look that reminded Nina of a chastised teenager. She stepped between the two. There would be time for mending wounded egos later but time was limited at the moment and something had to be done.  
  
"So what are we doing?" She asked, grabbing them by the shirts and tugging them out the door into the companion way. With a quick tug, Jack pulled his shirt loose from her and smoothed it as if she had wrinkled the worn fabric. She let go of Will and crossed her arms. "Well?"  
  
"William and I go after the captain, you two head over to the cabin where the souls are kept in case something else needs to be done, aye?" Jack said.  
  
"I asked what we were doing, not for you to boss me around." Nina growled, standing toe to toe with him. "In other words, you don't tell me what to do. You suggest." Jack stared calmly back at her, a smirk on his face.  
  
"Fine. I'm suggestin' you head over to the cabin where the souls are and stay there."  
  
"And if I decide I want to stick with you? Then what?"  
  
"Then you can do that."  
  
Nina balled up her fists. "Fine, you know what? I'll go to the cabin where the souls are and wait in case something else needs to be done." She said, lifting her chin up as if she had decided to do it on her own.  
  
"That's a good plan, lass." He responded. She gave him the evil eye and turned on her heel, walking down the companionway. Hannah hurried to catch up with her. After they were well out of hearing range, Nina cursed.  
  
"That man is so...so..." She seemed to be struggling to find the right word.  
  
"Infuriating? I don't know. He reminds me a lot of Mike." Hannah said hesitantly.  
  
"Hot!" Nina buried her face in her hands for a moment after the outburst. "Usually it's me making him hot, but now that he's not himself but his ancestor and it would be very wrong to do...things...with him, he's the one making me hot." She groaned. "We need to finish this now." Hannah hid her mouth behind her hand, an amused smile on her face. Nina saw through it anyway. "It's not funny." She said.  
  
"It is in a way." Hannah said. "I've been having the same thoughts about the blacksmith." She started laughing, feeling like she had lost what little was left of her sanity. Nina stared at her for a moment, wondering if she'd lost her mind, but a moment later she let a small chuckle escape. It escalated into full blown laughter until both women sat on the floor, holding their stomachs and laughing.  
  
Nina was the first to regain control and got to her feet. "I think we really need to end this now." She said, helping Hannah to her feet. "Before we end up in the loony bin." Hannah wiped her eyes, nodding and giggling from time to time as they walked. After a search of the lower deck, Nina led her up the ladder and out onto the topside deck. They both became very quiet, looking around for anyone who had been left behind while the others had gone out on the raiding party.  
  
There was one pirate walking along the deck, looking out over the rail towards the island with a wistful expression on his face. A low whistle caught his attention and he looked over to see Nina standing there with a playful expression on her face. She looked at him coyly and beckoned him with a finger, her other hand behind her back. He glanced around and after ascertaining that no one else was around to interrupt his fun, he made his way over to her. "Where did ye come from...?" Nina brought the poker out from behind her back and swung it as hard as possible, slamming it into his head. Balance lost, the pirate fell overboard, screaming. Hannah appeared beside her, looking over the railing.  
  
"Let's get out of here before he climbs back up here." She said, tugging Nina's arm. "I think the cabin is this way." Nina followed after her, the two women running quietly along the deck. Her heart beat quickly with the excitement of the moment. She had never been the type to let an adventure pass and this was no exception. She lived for the moment. The only thing she wished she could change was that it would be Mike that would be here by her side, and after it was all over he would take her to bed. Hannah, on the other hand, couldn't wait for the adventure to be over. While she enjoyed excitement in her life, she didn't thrive on it like her husband, especially with the lives of those she loved at stake.  
  
Nina grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open, yanking Hannah in with her. All attention turned towards the door and whispers broke out as for the second time that night, mortal souls had entered their domain. Something would happen this night, they could feel it.  
  
"Hannah! Nina!" Danny slowly got to his feet, the wounds on his stomach pulling painfully as he moved. Emma woke up as she was moved to Ben's arms and yawned, rubbing her eyes. The moment she spotted her mother and grandmother, her eyes brightened and she squirmed out of Ben's grasp.  
  
Hannah felt the tears come to her eyes as she rushed towards him, never happier in her life to see two people. But as she tried to lunge into his arms, she found herself falling right through him and onto the deck. Danny stood where he was, looking down at himself and then down at her. Emma stopped as she watched the scene.  
  
"What happened?" She asked, looking up at her father. Hannah rolled over onto her back, looking up at him as well. He shook his head sadly.  
  
"We're not like Mommy right now." He knew it was going to be difficult to explain to her and tried to do his best. "We're not solid because of those nasty pirates." Emma sat down and curled up. She had wanted to be in her mother's arms, to know that everything was going to be ok and that what was happening was just a nightmare. Hannah crawled over to her, sitting close to her and reaching out. Her hand wavered just a short distance from her daughter's dark curls.  
  
"It's ok, sweetheart. Mommy's here and soon everything will be just fine." She said soothingly.  
  
Ben got to his feet, coming to stand beside Danny. Nina came over, standing in front of them. "Jack and Will are going to try and take out the captain." She said quietly. Her eyes focused on Ben and her mouth opened. "What...how..."  
  
"The boating accident wasn't so much of a boating accident." Ben said, rubbing the back of his neck. Hannah glanced up at him.  
  
"Boating accident?"  
  
"Dad, I'd like you to meet my wife Hannah. Hannah, this is my father, Ben Turner." He said quietly. Hannah could do nothing but nod in greeting, shocked at meeting her husband's dead father. There wasn't much that could be said in the situation. Of course, most people believed the supernatural didn't exist, so there wasn't as if there was etiquette to follow.  
  
"You look good, Nina." Ben said after the introductions had been made. "Still with Mike?" He smiled slightly. "More important, is he still getting you into trouble?" She chuckled, shaking her head.  
  
"You know him." She responded and her smile faded. "I'm just hoping he makes it through this alive." She said quietly. Danny made a motion as if to put a hand on her shoulder and thought better of it, seeing as how it would've gone right through her.  
  
"Don't worry. I think Jack and Will won't let us down."  
  
--------------------  
  
Harper pushed open the door of the captain's quarters, allowing the quartermaster to brush by him with the large bag of plunder from the island. It was a useless gesture but he still did it all the time. Once in a while he would find something that would amuse him for a while before the novelty had worn off and he was bored again. James upended the bag on the table, pawing greedily through the trinkets and picking up a few here and there, rambling on about what he could do with each one. Harper, however, stayed standing by the doorway. Something didn't seem quite right in the room. He held up a finger to silence the other pirate, listening.  
  
On the other side of the room, there was a small creak from the cupboard. He put a finger on his lips, motioning for James to be silent and crept across the room. Not entirely stupid, Harper pulled his pistol out of his sash and reached for the door. In one quick motion, he yanked it open and narrowly avoided the coat rack toppling onto his head. He shook his head and turned to share the laugh with his quartermaster, only to find him being held captive by Jack Sparrow. The pirate gave the annoyed pirate a little shake and pinched his cheek.  
  
"I don't think he likes being close to other people. Just givin' him an affectionate gesture and he gets all huffy about it." He shook his head. "Pity actually. Makes me miss my own crew. They were the best crew in the entire ocean, if I do say so myself. Actually, I do say so."  
  
Harper glared at him. "Speak your part, Sparrow, so I can get rid of you properly." He pushed the gun back into his sash and flexed his fingers. "You can go join the others."  
  
"He'll be joining no one." The voice came from behind him. "Except maybe you with the devil." He turned to find himself staring straight into the eyes of a very angry blacksmith and a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he found the blade of a pocket knife he had gotten off one of his victims sticking out of his chest. Will let go, taking a step back. Jack shoved the quartermaster away and walked over to stand by Will's side, looking down on their dying enemy. He had been the Achilles' Heel of the entire curse. He was cursed to watch his men suffer; he himself was not destined to suffer as they had, only through watching the suffering. It was how Jack came to the conclusion that if they killed the captain, the crew would follow.  
  
Harper dropped to his knees, grabbing the knife and pulling it out. Dark blood seeped into the front of his shirt and dripped onto the floor. With an expression of shock on his face, he stared up at them. "I'm not supposed to die. I'm immortal."  
  
Jack sneered at him. "You're not immortal, mate, just deluded." There was a look of deep contempt on his face. "Mess with one man and you might succeed. Mess with a family and you better be ready to pay." Harper's mouth worked, but no sound came out.  
  
Suddenly a bright flash came from the center of his chest and he screamed in agony. Jack and Will were knocked off their feet and hit the decks, shielding their eyes from the resulting light. Slowly his flesh began to grow paper thin and wither. His eyes disappeared from the sockets and his teeth rotted away. Hair grew long and grey and rotted away as did the skin, leaving a screaming skeleton with its jaw opened widely. Abruptly the screaming stopped as the skeleton disintegrated into a pile of dust on the floor.  
  
Nina slapped her hands over her ears at the shriek. It chilled her to the bone, almost as if it were borne from a demon of hell. Unwillingly her cry joined in with the wailing, as well as some of the spirits. The overall effect was chillingly demonic. Outside on the decks, the pirates fell to the decks, rotting into nothing.  
  
Then it was over. Nina opened her eyes, her breathing heavy. The cries had stopped and as she watched, the souls began to fade. At first she thought something had gone wrong, that they had failed, but that was only until she saw their expressions. They were expressions of joy as they reached forward to the unknown, being called home by family members that had gone on before them.  
  
Danny watched the scene around him for a moment before turning back to his father. Tears welled up in his eyes as he put his arms around Ben and hugged him tightly, wishing that he could come back with them and live the life he had been cheated. Ben ruffled his son's hair softly, an accepting look on his face. "It's my time." He whispered to Danny. "And you know this isn't good-bye. You'll see me later, when your time is up."  
  
Danny reluctantly pulled himself from his father's grasp, nodding. "Yeah, I know that. So I guess I'll see you later." He wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled sadly. "You better be there to greet me, old man." Ben chuckled and nodded.  
  
"I will." He glanced over to Hannah. "Nice to meet you, my dear. If we'd had more time to talk, I'm sure I could tell you a few embarrassing stories to make up for the ones that I didn't get to tell you while you were dating." Hannah laughed.  
  
"It was nice to meet you as well." She said. Ben's gaze went to Nina.  
  
"Take care of yourself. And thank you to you and Mike." He glanced at Danny once more. "I couldn't have picked two better people to entrust with my son." With that said, he slowly faded out. Danny reached up to his neck and found that the small silver thread that had bound him there was gone.  
  
"Mommy!" Emma cried out from beside him before her form slowly faded out.  
  
"Looks like it's my turn." Danny said, feeling everything grow hazier. For a moment, everything was white and then he found himself staring up at the ceiling, lying on his back.  
  
"Ow..." Mike rolled over and managed to sit up. "I feel like I've been run over by a horse." He groaned, rubbing his head. The complaints stopped when he caught sight of his surroundings. "Ok, this might be a stupid question, but how did we get here?" Danny laughed and quickly regretted it, hands flying to his stomach as fiery pain spread.  
  
Suddenly the ceiling flickered. "That can't be good." He muttered before hearing a long, loud groan. As he watched, the ship decayed as if time had been fast forwarded. He got to his feet, Mike following after him. They rushed out on deck, running into Nina and Hannah. "We have to..."  
  
Then there was no ship. Danny felt a moment of weightlessness before they went crashing into the water below. The slap of the water sent pain through his side again and he let out a scream of agony, only for the water to rush into his lungs and choke him. Everything became disorienting and he struggled to find his way to the surface.  
  
Finally he lost to the darkness, letting it overtake him. 


	9. Life Fulfilled

Mike resurfaced, spitting out water and flicking the wet locks of hair from his face. "I'm really beginning to hate this." He grumbled, looking around. They were a ways from shore, swimming around in the inky darkness. He wished he had a flashlight or lighter or something that would give off some kind of light so that he could hail someone onshore to come get them.  
  
Two arms wrapped around his neck from behind and he felt a body press against him in the dark, shivering. He put a hand on the arms, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Nina..." He said quietly, a slight tone of relief in his voice. She didn't say anything, just hugged him tightly as they treaded water. He breathed in the scent of her, wondering what hell she had been through the past couple of days while he hadn't been himself. He remembered vague pieces of the puzzle; enough to miss her while Jack was in control and fear for her. "Where's the other two?" He asked her, just as Hannah's voice pierced the night.  
  
"I can't find Danny. I know he was here." She said urgently, swimming towards them. Nina's arms slipped from around Mike's neck and she sunk back into the water, looking around. Mike did the same, watching for any movement other than them. He called out Danny's name and got no response.  
  
"He has to be here. He was right me when the boat did the super speedy decay." Mike said. "Danny!" He called again, but there was no answer. Cold fingers of dread crept across his heart. "Shit! Where is he? Danny!" As his eyes adjusted to the darkness around him, he saw a small object floating not too far away. He swam toward it, only to find that it was Danny's driver's license. With a flick of his wrist he tossed it to Nina and dove under the water. It was nearly impossible to see and he was hoping that not enough time had elapsed for Danny to sink too far. He strained to see in the darkness, swimming down just a little bit farther.  
  
Suddenly his hand hit something and he pulled back for a moment. Tentatively he reached out and grabbed for it again, feeling it. It was a human hand. His grip tightened around Danny's wrist and he swam back towards the surface.  
  
Nina treaded water, waiting for Mike to resurface. This had to be hell. Tall tales that ended up being true and even after they'd defeated the story; they still had to struggle to survive. Hannah waited beside her, breath forming little clouds in front of her every time she exhaled. "Come on." She whispered. "Please." Nina was about to join in her prayer when a bright spotlight hit them in the water.  
  
"Stay where you are. There are rescuers coming to your assistance." The voice boomed from seemingly out of nowhere. Nina raised a hand to her eyes and was able to just make out the Coast Guard emblem on the bow of the boat. The sputtering behind her took her by surprise and she turned to see Mike resurface, Danny in his arm. He began pulling both of them towards the boat. Nina swam out to help him despite the calls from the rescuers coming towards them. One already had Hannah in the small boat and was motioning for Nina and Mike to come towards them. As they reached the edge, Hannah darted forward to help them pull her husband in. One of the rescuers, his nametag identifying him as Tom, leaned down over Danny.  
  
"This one isn't breathing!" He shouted, feeling for a pulse. Hannah picked up his cold hand, rubbing it.  
  
"Come on, baby." She whispered. "Now's not the time." Her voice was firm despite the tears in her eyes. "Not now." The coast guard officer leaned down over Danny and tilted his head upward, blowing breath into his lungs and then placing his hands on his chest, pumping to simulate the heart working. Mike held Nina tightly beneath the blanket that had been wrapped around them. Another coast guard pushed by them, setting down the portable cardiac paddle kit next to Tom. Tom started it up, attaching the electrodes to Danny's chest. There was no movement on the screen except for flat lines.  
  
Hannah bent down over him, almost as if she were looking him in the face. "Come on, Daniel." She said, her voice strong and unwavering. "You've been through all that and you're going to give up on me now?" She wanted to say more, but Tom gently moved her away. He blew another breath into Danny's mouth and started compressions again.  
  
Suddenly Danny started coughing and gasping for air. The two coast guards grabbed him and turned him onto his side so he wouldn't choke on the water as it came up. As soon as most of it had gone from his system, they laid him on his back again. Tom unhooked his radio from his belt. "Be advised. Medical transport needed at the dock immediately..."  
  
-------------------  
  
"Mommy! He's moving, he's moving!" The small voice was the first thing to enter his conscious mind as he struggled to come out of the darkness. Somewhere he could hear an annoying, steady beep. He could smell chlorine and another faint odor that was a dead giveaway to where he was.  
  
"Am I in hell?" He groaned, forcing his eyes open and snapping them shut again as he was nearly blinded by the institutional white of the ceiling and walls. Something smacked his arm and there was a mildly insulted grumble from somewhere off to his left.  
  
"He almost dies, I save his ass, and he was the balls to wonder if he's in...ow! What was that for?"  
  
"Could you swear anymore in front of the child Mike?" Danny grinned as Nina admonished her lover for cursing. He tried again and this time managed to keep his eyes open. The blurry figures around him slowly came into focus and he found his family staring down at him, varying expressions of joy on their faces.  
  
Mike was the closest, his left arm in a sling and a rather large bruise adorning the right side of his jaw. Nina stood next to him, her arm looped through his good arm and her head resting on his shoulder. There were a few scratches on her face as well. Hannah sat on Danny's left side, her arms crossed on the side of his bed and her chin resting on her arms. As he looked her way, she smiled and stood up, leaning over to kiss his forehead.  
  
"Good to have you back." She whispered as she pulled away, only to be replaced by a dark haired little girl who had climbed up onto the bed and had crawled her way over to him. She smiled brightly and lunged forward. A grunt of pain escaped him as she lay down against him, happy, with her head resting on his chest.  
  
"Gave us quite a scare." Nina responded. "Although that's never been anything new." Danny smiled slightly as he rubbed Emma's back. He still felt very foggy headed, but attributed it to the morphine in his system. The pain wasn't as bad as it had been and when he touched his stomach, he could feel the stitches beneath the cloth. He winced and drew back his hand, running it through his hair instead.  
  
"Oh." Mike said, breaking the comfortable silence and going over to the chair against the opposite wall. "Your kids insisted on making you a card, so we brought that a long for you." He pulled a construction paper card from the satchel lying there and brought it over to Danny. Emma sat up and grabbed the card before her father could, snuggling up against him and holding it in front of him to read.  
  
On the front of the white paper was a crudely drawn pirate waving a sword in the air. Beneath it in various colors and writing styles were different versions of 'Get Well Soon' as well as a few extended notes asking him if he would get back soon because they wanted to finish learning about the famous pirates.  
  
"Cute." He said after he got done reading. "Hopefully I'm out of here in a few days." Before it could be stopped, he yawned widely, trying to blink back the sleep. Hannah slowly picked up Emma off of the bed and set her on the floor.  
  
"Go with Grandpa, sweetie." She said gently and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Mike held out his good hand for her and the little girl immediately went to him, slipping her small hand in his big one. Nina took her other hand and the three left the hospital room. Hannah turned back to Danny. He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly.  
  
"Thank you." He said, looking up at her with love in his eyes.  
  
"I didn't do much." She responded, moving a strand of hair from his face and tucking it behind his ear.  
  
"You did a lot." His eyelids had been getting progressively heavier and he felt exhausted, but he fought to stay awake as long as she was there. "I love you."  
  
She watched him for a moment before leaning down and kissing him on the forehead. "I love you too." She whispered. "Now get some sleep before the doctors have our hides." Her lips met his again one last time before she left him to sleep, but he made the kiss last for a while longer. He'd missed her during the time he'd been gone and kissing her again made him feel like he'd found love all over again. Hannah finally broke the kiss and gently laid a hand on his chest to push him back down. "You are going to sleep now." She said firmly.  
  
"Yes, sleep." Danny said with mock sincerity. "I think I'll sleep now." She shook her head at him and walked out the door, pulling it closed behind her. He laid his head back down on the pillow, closing his eyes. "Sleep is good."  
  
----------------  
  
Danny rested his hand against the cool metal of the doorknob and hesitated. It'd been a week since their adventure and things had calmed down mostly. He was still unable to help out with the chores around the stable that required heavy lifting and there was still a certain amount of pain in his stomach when he moved. But he was glad to be free of the hospital as he hated the place and refused to go willingly into one.  
  
The kids had been more than happy to see him again and he'd been happy to see them. Almost losing his life had put things in perspective for him. He'd never realized how much Mike, Nina, Hannah, Emma, his marriage, or his job had meant in his life until he had nearly lost all of it.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and walked in. "Good morning everyone." He called, setting his bag down beside the desk. However, the normal responses to his greeting never came, the children staring at him. The looks on their faces were curious and he knew that he was going to have an enthralling class. Of course, it was probably the colonial blacksmith's clothing he was wearing that had caught their attention. With Hannah's help, he had managed to find a costume in the warehouse where all the recreation costumes were kept. It matched Will's clothing almost perfectly. He'd promised his classes tales of pirates and the high seas and what better way to do it than this.  
  
Finally the responses came. Danny sat down on his desk and carefully brought his legs up to sit cross-legged, one hand resting against his stomach as he did so. "Well, I promised you some stories if you all passed your tests. Well, since you all passed with A's, I think that deserves a special treat, don't you?" There were many enthusiastic responses from around the room. "Since you did so well, not only will you hear the story, but you'll hear it from someone who was there." There was a chorus of whispers, excited and amused. "So, let's get sta..."  
  
He was cut off when the door into the room flew open and a pirate walked in. But it wasn't just any pirate. It was none other than Captain Jack Sparrow himself. Even Danny hadn't been expecting that and stared at him along with the kids. He hadn't known Mike was going to get involved. He had mentioned the idea, but Mike had brushed it off, saying that he had a lot of work to do around the stables.  
  
Danny finally collected himself enough to speak. "Seems we have a visitor, none other than Captain Sparrow himself." Mike crossed the room and motioned for Danny to move over so he could sit at the desk as well. Immediately hands raised and Mike glanced over at Danny.  
  
"There are questions?" Danny nodded in response, fighting against the amused smile that tugged on his lips. Mike raised an eyebrow and turned back to the kids, raising his arms in the air. "Hold yer questions! I'll answer 'em all after the story, savvy?" The hands went down immediately and the kids got out of their seats, coming to sit in front of the desk. The girls seemed to be just as eager as the boys, all of them staring up at the two with looks of curiosity and fascination.  
  
This was what Danny lived for. His life was so full and rich. He had a lovely wife, a beautiful baby girl, a father he knew was watching over him from a far, adopted parents that cared for him as if he were their own, and a passion to teach, to see children wanting to learn. He couldn't ask for anything more.  
  
Once the kids had settled into their positions, he started the story. "It all started ten years ago, when I received a strange medallion from my father..." 


End file.
